Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban stirred debate on Tuesday by advocating for tanking in the NBA, arguing it can help teams improve through the draft, trades, and cap flexibility. Cuban tweeted, “Fans know their team can’t win every game. They know only one team can win a ring. What fans that care about their team’s record want is hope.”
Cuban explained that strategic losing provides hope for fans, offering a chance to land top prospects and build a competitive roster. He added, “The one way to get closer to that is via the draft. And trades. And cap room. You have a better chance of improving via all three, when you tank.”
The veteran owner highlighted structural challenges in the modern NBA, including the second apron, supermax contracts, and evolving CBA rules, which make adding veteran stars without exceeding salary caps increasingly difficult. Teams with two max-level players face limited flexibility, often forcing front offices to consider rebuilding strategies through high draft picks.
He also emphasized that young players are more skilled than ever, making the draft more valuable for long-term competitiveness. Cuban wrote, “Young players are far more skilled than 10 years ago. Every kid copies what they see on YouTube AND they have trainers. The skill levels will continue to improve.”
Cuban criticized league fines and penalties for openly acknowledging tanking, saying teams are punished for transparency. “A couple years ago, we tanked for about a week and I got fined $600K. It’s a joke. You can’t tell the truth to your fans,” he tweeted. He argued that honest communication about rebuilding strategies, injuries, and draft priorities would improve fan trust while maintaining competitive integrity.
The tweets come amid intensified NBA scrutiny over deliberate losing. Commissioner Adam Silver has warned that tanking has reached one of its worst points in recent years, citing fines for the Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers as examples of league enforcement.
Front office insiders, including ESPN’s Bobby Marks, report that proposals to reduce incentives for losing are under consideration. Ideas include eliminating pick protection, adjusting lottery odds, and introducing stronger enforcement to prevent manipulation of games for draft advantage.
League officials are expected to announce formal anti-tanking recommendations ahead of the 2026 offseason, potentially reshaping draft lottery rules and participation policies to preserve the integrity of every game.
