The NBA is making it clear: the days of quietly tanking for draft picks may be numbered.
During All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles, Commissioner Adam Silver delivered one of his strongest public stances yet against tanking, signaling that the league is ready to escalate its fight against teams prioritizing lottery odds over competitive integrity. Just before the break, the league handed down significant fines to two franchises - the Utah Jazz and the Indiana Pacers - for violating the NBA’s Player Participation Policy, a clear message that the league is done looking the other way.
The Jazz were hit hardest, fined $500,000 after sitting Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. during the fourth quarters of games against the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat - games where both players were reportedly healthy and capable of playing. Utah currently sits 13th in the Western Conference at 18-38, and their late-game lineups have raised eyebrows around the league. With top prospects like AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, and Darryn Peterson looming in the next draft class, it’s not hard to see why people are connecting the dots.
The Pacers, meanwhile, were fined $100,000 after resting Pascal Siakam and other key starters in a matchup against - ironically - the Jazz. That decision, seen as a strategic move to improve draft positioning rather than chase a win, only added fuel to the league’s growing concerns.
According to ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks, teams across the league are now on “high alert” after this disciplinary wave. The message from the league office is simple: if you’re not playing to win, you’re going to pay.
Silver didn’t hold back in his comments, admitting that the current anti-tanking measures “aren’t working.” He emphasized that the league is prepared to explore “every possible remedy” with both the Competition Committee and team owners.
That could mean stepping beyond financial penalties. The NBA is reportedly considering more aggressive tools - such as locking in lottery odds earlier in the season or even stripping teams of draft assets - to curb the late-season race to the bottom.
One of the more radical ideas floating around? Eliminating the draft altogether.
According to reporting from The Athletic, the league has at least entertained the concept of turning incoming rookies into free agents. That would be a seismic shift, and while it might deter tanking, it could also tilt the balance of power even further toward big-market teams like the Lakers, Celtics, and Knicks.
Smaller-market franchises, already facing uphill battles in free agency, could find it even harder to land top-tier young talent.
Tanking has long been a thorn in the NBA’s side - frustrating for fans, coaches, and players alike. And while the league has made past efforts to tweak the lottery system and discourage the practice, Silver’s tone this weekend suggests a new level of urgency.
The NBA isn't just talking about change anymore. It's moving toward it - and fast.
The message is clear: compete, or face the consequences.