Commissioner Adam Silver delivered a strong anti-tanking message during a video call on Thursday with the NBA’s general managers, according to Joe Vardon and Sam Amick of The Athletic.
The purpose of the gathering was to discuss measures that could be implemented for next season to curtail the practice. Vardon and Amick cited “tension” during the call as Silver talked about the integrity of the league and at times resembled his predecessor, David Stern, who was known to clash with owners and team executives.
At one point, Nets GM Sean Marks objected to some of the proposals, mistakenly believing they would be implemented right away. Marks, whose team is going through the rebuilding process and is counting on a high draft pick this summer, was reminded that nothing will take effect until the new league year starts in July.
“I would just say, Sean,” Silver told him, “you could assume for next season your only incentive will be to win games.”
Silver argued with another general manager over whether coaches of losing teams are willing participants in tanking, Vardon and Amick add. When the GM said, “Our coaches are on board with our plan,” Silver responded, “(They) tell that to you. They say they’re on board because they have to. When we talk to coaches, no one wants to go in there and try to lose (on purpose).”
A few GMs pointed out that they have to submit long-term plans to their ownership, which provides some incentive to plot out a lengthy rebuild that will ensure job security. Silver stated that those “mindsets” need to change.
According to the authors, some of the proposals mentioned during the call included placing limits on pick protections, preventing teams from having top-four picks in consecutive years, and not allowing conference finalists to pick in the top four a year later.
The league is accepting ideas from all 30 teams to create a system that doesn’t provide an incentive to tank. More than half the GMs shared suggestions and other input during the call, according to Vardon and Amick, and it was generally regarded as a productive exchange despite the sometimes-tense atmosphere.
“Overwhelmingly, everyone realizes changes are coming and they need to come,” one executive told the authors. “It’s a matter of when and what and how. What changes you implement, do they last a year, five years, is this a quick band-aid? That’s not what we want.”
Silver is a JOKE…
Yep, any which way they slice this, all’s I see is Silver will have more control. Draft just gone was nothing short of absolutely disgraceful.
This guy has some hide. Player empowerment aka more money for less in this load management age.
The teams who are down the bottom in standings are exactly where everyone thought they’d be.
Why wouldn’t bad teams shut guys down, it’s a business isn’t it? How many times do we hear that phrase.
Not good business to risk your better assets going forward. Yet star players on good teams can miss smoke and avoid match ups throughout the season and nothing gets done.
Completely ignoring what the Jazz have been doing is insane. Washington too to an extent. Trading for players that improve your roster and shutting them down so they can’t improve your roster until you get your draft pick is absolutely ridiculous.
Can’t have your cake and eat it too.
It’s also not good business to let teams make agreements based on association rules and then refuse to enforce those rules.
The blatant tanking we are seeing has another name, throwing games. If it was done for gambling purposes those involved would be suspended and/or banned. I don’t see why that is permissible when the incentive is draft picks. Especially when there is direct harm to another team due to the manipulation.
Refs gamble and impact games man.
Gonna have to see the seamstress to take in the crotch if you wanna wear Stearns suit Mr Silver
And add a foot of fabric to the legs
Savage lmao
This comes off so desperate the constant tanking stuff lately from Silver. NBA is the only league on right now and honestly the actual games don’t seem to be a high topic of conversation from the league and media. The Giannis rumors dominated until trade deadline and now tanking resolutions are going to dominate until playoffs.
The games don’t seem to matter because 33% of the league is trying to lose the games that are being played. Hence the need to talk about tanking.
Once you people understand the tanking problem isn’t with the 4 worst teams in the league but with the 6 teams right behind them, then we can actually have a conversation.
Not true, the only teams actually tanking from the start Utah and Indy.
Mavs were trying until AD had like 3rd injury
Teams that just sucked:
Nets they had 3 or 4 1st round picks they have to play their young guys. Not tanking they don’t have a star.
Kings were playing their guys and thought they could compete. Christie is just not an NBA hc.
Pelicans don’t own their pick they just suck. Fired the coach but he was not the problem.
Wizards like Nets had no star quality players to start season. They need to play their young players as they had multiple picks and more picks in future.
Bulls and Bucks are not tanking yet, just poorly constructed teams with overrated coaches. Bulls have no star and Bucks have Giannis but no 2 or 3 level option to pair.
These teams can try their hardest and would lose in play in or lose in 5. They would need injuries to opponents to advance so harping on tanking is silly.
Tanking for a better chance at a draft pick is a two edged sword because you don’t want to implement that mentality into any organization.
But if you do wanna take that route, I think the teams need guidelines on how to do it properly. These fines are unfair as the teams didn’t break any written rule.
Here is how I would do it;
1. Once an organization hits the tank button they must publicly announce it in order to shut down healthy players.
2. You have to announce all the players that you’re shutting down for the rest of the season within a week of your announcement. It has to be for the rest of the season, otherwise the chemistry between the players of the new rotation cannot build itself.
3. You can only shut down healthy players if they are 25 years or older. Otherwise, they should be allowed to continue to develop!
4. You cannot announce “tanking” for more than 1 season straight.
5. You cannot increase the price of season tickets the following season. This is my modification on the Charles Barkley rule! It’s the only rule I’d propose to subtly disincentivizes tanking (which by itself is its own punishment), as season ticket holders should be reimbursed for watching their team tank.. Hopefully they will get to see a number one draft pick in his rookie season for the same price they paid last season.
Thank you for your attention on this manner, Mr. Silver.
What did Silver have to say on deals with planting trees companies?
I’m on board with whatever they want to try (don’t try too many things at once cos then you what know what actually helpd) but I must say i don’t get the “no top 4 for last year’s conference finalists… like, are we making a rule just for the pacers? how many teams make the conference finals then try to rebuild?
I despise the Pacers but that is obviously baloney
More of the Maverick rule than Pacers.
They made conference finals year before they did Kyrie trade then tanked to keep pick away from Knicks.
Made finals then trade Luka to tank for Flagg.
There must be zero incentive to tank. Only way to do that is to eliminate the draft and make rookies free agents.
The objection is that all the players would supposedly flock to the big markets. Well, there’s only one basketball on the court. What star rookie would sign up to be third fiddle behind Luka and Reaves?
Give the losing teams a leg up in rookie free agency. Keep the current first round salary structure: give each team a first round exception based on record. The teams at the bottom would have to appear competent (ie, not embarrass themselves on purpose) to appeal to the top rookies who could choose to take less to join an organization they trust.