How do You Stop Tanking in the NBA?

[People's Champ]

Now to say this doesn't happen would be unrealistic. Teams that know they are out of the running for the playoffs know they aren't out of the running for those ping pong balls. So with that in mind, teams may not put their best effort/team out on the court night in night out. This is a big problem for the games and their opponents as well as the fans. From what I understand, teams don't lower their prices to these meaningless games.

So how do you avoid all of this? How do you make sure that teams who may be trying to pick up those extra balls are actually losing because their best team/effort still sucks in comparison to their opposition instead of them losing because they want a chance at the top pick?

I believe it was Jeff Van Gundy who said for the last 20 games you put 50 grand on the line. If you win your team get 50 grand, but if you lose, well your team loses 50 grand. Interesting concept. Another thought would be to reverse the system. Instead of giving the team with the most losses the most ping pong balls, give it to the team with the most wins, of course out of the lottery teams, not the entire NBA. Another good idea, execept the the idea is to help the bottom teams get better with higher draft picks. And if they really do suck, then they need that chance at a higher pick.

So what do you think is the solution to this problem? Now if this thread has been done recently I'm sorry. And I know its playoff season so nobody really cares about those bottomfeeders. But it is a problem. And with what looks like a good draft, with Wall and Cousins and others coming out, no doubt teams tried their hardest not to try. So who's got a solution?

 

[Rhonda Rousey's Sports Bra]

I'd say this probably happens in the NFL more than in the NBA because there is no lottery system in the NFL. But I think the NBA should put a committee in place to review games like that. The hard part is figuring out the punishment, you can't take away a draft pick because there are only two that matter and that would kill the team.

 

[Big Sexy]

I've never liked the term "tank" it implies that the players are intentionally going out and losing. A lot of these players have tons of pride and they don't just go out there trying to lose. However, when these guys are on a shitty team sometimes it's hard to stay focused. They have the mentality that the other team is just simply better and that affects their play in a negative way. It's hard to be at your best when you have no shot at making the playoffs you're sore from a long season. It tales a toll on these players mentally and physically.

All that being said, there really is no way to govern this if it happens. It's impossible to look at a team and say they are intentionally losing. The NBA already has the draft lottery and that's really all they can do.

 

[Mr. TM]

I respect Big Sexy's opinion here, for a matter that also is discussed in the NHL. Do players and teams throw games to get better draft picks. It seems that there are some instances where a team started to play worth shit if they are out of playoff contention. But is that them trying to get draft picks, or their spirits broken, it is hard to tell.

An idea I once had was push the trade deadline back a bit more, maybe 5 games, and then have that be the time to select the first pick highest chance of getting the #1 pick (Like the most ping pong balls in the NBA and NHL). If anything, its bound to make sure there are less shit games, and teams dont trade away all their big name players in sell offs.