NBA.com

After landing the No. 8 pick in this year’s draft lottery, the Brooklyn Nets appear likely to once again embrace a tanking strategy in the upcoming 2025/26 NBA season, hoping that by performing poorly, they can improve their chances of securing a higher first-round draft pick.

Brian Lewis of The New York Post examines the potential downsides of this tactic, pointing out that teams that prioritize draft positioning over multiple seasons risk creating significant cultural problems within their organizations.

Lewis highlights that the Nets are not alone in this approach, but warns about the long-term consequences.

“A lot of these teams that try to bottom out by tanking like Brooklyn is doing, they think there’s no consequences,” one agent told Lewis. “You risk eroding the environment you’re trying to create. That’s what happened in Philadelphia.”

Tanking may boost draft position but harms morale and long-term success; Nets must weigh these risks carefully.

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