NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced last week at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference in Boston that significant modifications are planned to discourage tanking as the upcoming season approaches. Silver proposed ideas including separating team records from draft order and possibly adopting a two-year period to calculate lottery odds, a system already in use by the WNBA.
While acknowledging that such shifts
would be a major shock to the system
, Silver indicated the league may initially avoid implementing drastic changes at once.
Not to exactly forecast where we’re going, but I think I’m sort — I am an incrementalist,
Silver explained.
I think we got to be a little bit careful, you know, about how huge a change we make at once. I’m not ruling anything out, but I am paying attention to that. And then there’s something significantly more than, I would say, just tinkering with the existing system.
Current Tanking Climate Fueled by 2026 Draft Prospects and Intense Bottom-Rank Competition
The highly anticipated 2026 NBA Draft class has created what Silver described as a perfect storm, intensifying tanking incentives this season. Presently, eight teams are battling to secure the lowest standings—a figure that should be nine if not for the Milwaukee Bucks taking an unusual approach to their season. Collectively, the league’s bottom 10 teams had endured a 44-game losing streak until the schedule pitted the Utah Jazz against the Washington Wizards, ending this daunting stretch.
Despite the noisy spectacle of multiple teams deliberately seeking losses, the tanking issue may not require immediate overhaul. The attractiveness of this draft class, unlike previous years such as when few contended expressly for Zacharie Risacher, drives many teams’ decisions. While these eight squads have openly embraced tanking tactics, a majority of the league continues to strive for victories, aligning with Silver’s consistent calls for competitive integrity.
More than two-thirds of NBA teams are currently at or above .500, including the Charlotte Hornets (just below .500), Portland Trail Blazers focusing on bettering play-in chances, Milwaukee Bucks, and New Orleans Pelicans, who lack a first-round pick this draft and therefore have little incentive to tank.
Cracking down on deliberate losing would not only hinder the worst squads from rebuilding effectively but also risk dampening fan engagement. Enthusiasm hinges on hope, which fuels entertainment value far beyond the often meaningless late-season matchups involving mediocre teams.
Detailed Tanking Standings as of March 10
1. Indiana Pacers (15-49)
The Pacers have mastered the art of avoiding wins, currently mired in a nine-game losing streak—the longest active in the league. This sequence includes substantial losses to teams like the Washington Wizards and home defeats to the Mavericks and Grizzlies, with only two games decided by single digits. Indiana’s winning percentage is surpassed only by the Sacramento Kings, firmly placing the team in slow-motion tank mode.
2. Washington Wizards (16-47)
Washington holds the second-longest losing streak, dropping their last eight matches. The Wizards’ most recent loss was against the Jazz, a team that had lost seven straight before their showdown. Recently, the Wizards introduced Trae Young, who logged 19 minutes in his debut versus Utah and 18 minutes against New Orleans. Whether Young’s presence assists or hinders the team’s tanking remains to be seen, though it is notable that Washington did not hold him out until next season as some expected.
3. Dallas Mavericks (21-43)
Despite a seven-game losing streak, the Mavericks remain ahead of most tanking contenders, trailing only the Pacers and Wizards in consecutive losses. The return of Cooper Flagg from an eight-game foot injury hiatus saw him average 17 points, 6.5 rebounds, 6 assists, and defensive contributions, though his shooting efficiency lagged. The Mavericks lost all three games he played last week, including a narrow one-point defeat to the Orlando Magic.
4. Sacramento Kings (15-50)
The Kings‘ ongoing struggles have been highlighted by several challenging home losses. Their commitment to veteran Russell Westbrook has garnered attention, with social media capturing one of his intensely candid moments with the press.
Russell Westbrook WENT AT the media tonight 👀 pic.twitter.com/6KmHdf1HKD
5. Utah Jazz (20-45)
The Jazz arguably deserve a higher spot in the rankings given their recent form, having lost eight of their past ten games. Their lone victory came against the struggling Wizards. One particularly notable loss occurred in Philadelphia, where the Jazz led late but faltered and lost to a Sixers team also facing hardships.
6. Memphis Grizzlies (23-40)
Seven games behind the Western Conference play-in spots, Memphis remains 2.5 games ahead of the Mavericks, illustrating the fierce competition among bottom-tier teams. The Grizzlies experienced a frustrating loss to the Clippers despite holding a 19-point lead at home, eventually succumbing by three points.
7. Chicago Bulls (26-38)
After a historically winless February, the Bulls have shown signs of life in March with two wins in their first three games, including a buzzer-beater victory in Phoenix. This kind of heads-up play, rare during tanking, showcased their effort when opportunity arises.
HIGH IQ PLAY TO SEAL THE WIN 🧠Tre Jones saves it and tosses it up as the clock expires.Heads-up play to cap his 21-POINT night and a Bulls W! pic.twitter.com/4Eh1qcmo20
8. Brooklyn Nets (17-47)
The Nets snapped a 10-game losing streak by rallying from a large deficit to upset the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons, followed by a win against the Grizzlies without Michael Porter Jr. Although a positive trend, the team’s performance remains far from consistent.
Milwaukee Bucks’ Unconventional Approach Disrupts Tanking Narrative
Unlike several struggling teams embracing tanking, the Bucks chose a different route by retaining Giannis Antetokounmpo at the trade deadline and reinserting him into the lineup following a calf injury to chase a play-in spot. However, last week’s heavy loss to the Hawks significantly damaged their playoff chances. Sitting four games behind the Hornets with 19 games left, the Bucks’ gamble to remain competitive may backfire if they miss postseason play without dropping further in standings.
The Bucks’ unpredictable strategy has perplexed observers, as falling just a few spots can dramatically improve draft lottery odds, from 13.9% for 10th place to 31.9% for 7th. Each move near the deadline appeared counterproductive, leaving fans and analysts questioning the franchise’s decision-making.
Key Matchups Intensify Tanking Battles This Week
The weekly “Tank Wars” spotlight features two critical games: the Pacers visiting the Kings on Tuesday night, promising a low-quality contest between two of the league’s worst teams, and the Mavericks facing the Grizzlies on Thursday, a game that could determine shifting positions in the tanking race if Memphis is to drop beneath Dallas in standings.
Unexpected NBA Draft Spin Highlights the Unpredictability of Tanking Outcomes
A curious development has emerged in the tanking saga: NBA executive Nico Harrison’s trade of Luka Dončić sets the Mavericks up to potentially secure top overall picks in consecutive, highly coveted drafts. Such an outcome would be seen as a karmic twist by fans who follow the complex balance of losing for future gain in the league’s draft lottery system.
As the NBA prepares for changes aimed at curbing intentional losing, this ongoing drama exemplifies the challenges of preserving competitive fairness while accommodating rebuilding strategies, leaving fans and stakeholders eager to see how reforms will reshape the landscape in coming seasons.
Russell Westbrook WENT AT the media tonight 👀 pic.twitter.com/6KmHdf1HKD
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) March 6, 2026
HIGH IQ PLAY TO SEAL THE WIN 🧠
Tre Jones saves it and tosses it up as the clock expires.
Heads-up play to cap his 21-POINT night and a Bulls W! pic.twitter.com/4Eh1qcmo20
— NBA (@NBA) March 6, 2026
