Tanking. Defined in the Cambridge Dictionary as “the act of intentionally losing a game or sports event”. To most, this sounds unethical, illegal even, but to NBA fans, it had just become a part of the norm.
The league has had a tanking problem for years now, but it peaked last season. A mixture of a ‘generational’ upcoming draft class and just a lot of bad teams in general were probably to blame, but either way, the glaring flaw of tanking was more apparent than ever.
Having 1 in 3 teams committed to the tank post-All-Star break screamed of a pressing issue that needed immediate fixing, and so the search for a solution began. And after months of discourse, in late May, Adam Silver announced a set of anti-tanking rules that the NBA will implement for the upcoming 2026-27 season.
What are the new anti-tanking rules?
The new rules are all fairly straightforward, but there are a few, so I have included a summarised list below.
The most significant talking point for me is the reduced odds for the bottom 3 teams, creating what people are referring to as a ‘relegation zone’. To explain it using numbers, this past draft had the bottom 3 teams, each with a 14% chance at landing the number one overall pick. Starting next season under these new rules, the bottom 3 teams will each have just a 5.4% chance at the number one pick.
Yes, this is a big deal, which is why teams are already preparing for it.
How this new relegation zone is already impacting the league
Free agency has been crazy. Player movement mayhem. Although there are still a few moves that may occur, most teams have put together their rosters by now.
Now, I’m a Chicago Bulls fan, and I will be honest I was pretty happy with how our offseason went. Filled with optimisim, I googled the NBA standings from last year just to see what my expectations should be. Let’s just say, I am worried. The level of competition around the league is high.
Most seasons, there are mutliple teams you can pencil in as an ‘easier win’. This season? Not so much. And I think the new ‘relegation zone’ is a major contributing factor. Teams want those high draft picks, and they are rightfully scared of slipping into the bottom three come season’s end.
Let’s just look at the bottom three from last season: the Wizards, Pacers, and Nets.
The Wizards enter this season with a talented roster, led by a core of Anthony Davis, Trae Young, Alex Sarr and of course number one pick AJ Dybantsa. Although some of these players fell into their lap, this free agency alone they have resigned Young, not shipped AD off (not yet at least), and added veteran depth in the form of Khris Middleton and Deandre Ayton. These are moves of a team that do not want to find themself near that relegation zone.
The Pacers you could argue are a different situation, as they were almost forced in to tanking due to injuries. Either way, you expect them to be back in playoff contention at the very least this season.
The Nets have also been proactive in making themselves competitive. After disappointingly missing out on a lottery pick in this past draft, they went out and traded for All-Star veteran Julius Randle. Combined with Michael Porter Jr. looking increasingly likely to stay, the Nets have some veteran talent that should keep them competitive, and more importantly fighting to stay out of that dreaded relegation zone.
Looking at the other teams that missed the playoffs last year, most of them seem to be following a similar idealogy. It must be noted that not all teams control their 2027 first round pick at this stage, so this theory is not binding for everyone, but still, I think the trend is evident.
Will these anti-tanking rules actually eliminate tanking?
In short, no, they won’t. For as long as the NBA have a draft system in place that rewards worse teams with better picks, there will always be an element of tanking. But that in itself is not the problem, as we know the draft system is an essential institution within the league that promotes seaason-on-season competitive balance. So, instead of asking if these rules will eliminate tanking, the better quesiton if whether they will perhaps reduce tanking or mitigate its impact on the league? And it is impossible to answer that question with any certainty at all.
Only time will tell, but at the very least, I think these rules are a step in the right direction in making the league more competitive year round.
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