Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban already admitted it.
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NBA teams tank. The league essential incentivizes it by giving the franchises with the worst records the most balls in its draft lottery, bettering their chances at landing the best incoming talent during its annual selection show and improving their roster organically.
Coaches, who call the shots in-game on things such as playing time and lineups, get the word from the front office to do exactly what they weren't hired to do and put their players in the best position to fail. Fans of teams destined not to qualify for the playoffs often plea for their teams to rack up losses late in the season to ensure the best possible shot at garnering the No. 1 overall draft pick. Ideally, that helps add parity, engages more fan bases and, ultimately, fattens the NBA's pockets.
In certain situations, the only people who don't stand to benefit from tanking is the guys earning a living by throwing the ball in the hoop. Think about it. No one wants to do anything that could lead to their employer hiring their replacement. That's why Rockets guard Lou Williams told SportsNet New York reporter Taylor Rooks he was traded from the Lakers.
The deal which sent Williams, the Lakers leading scorer in 2016-17, to H-Town in exchange for Corey Brewer and a first-round draft pick, just before the trade deadline in late January was negotiated a little more than a week after the former Sixth Man of Year took to social media and explained why he was playing to win.
The thing about draft picks fans forget. That's somebody's job he'll take. Ain't nobody playing for a pick lol. Trying get W's https://t.co/Qun6TQ8uB7
— Lou Williams (@TeamLou23) February 11, 2017
"It's because fans don't know," Williams said on "Timeout with Taylor." "It don't make sense. (for players to tank). That's probably what got me traded. That Tweet probably did it to me, looking back, in hind site. It's an interesting dynamic. It's like thin ice because, as a competitor, you want somebody to come in that's gone help take it to the next level, but then it's like, 'You play my position though'!"
Even with Williams, who averaged 18.6 points per game in purple and gold last season, the Lakers were going nowhere fast. Unloading the 30-year-old veteran smoothed things out in a crowded backcourt, that also included D'Angelo Russell (21), the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 draft and Jordan Clarkson (24), and receiving a first-rounder in exchange was an ideal move for the Lakers. They finished the regular season 26-56 and wound up with the No. 2 pick in this year's draft.
Williams won too, getting to play for a budding contender. He helped them earn the Rockets earn the No. 3 seed and reach the Western Conference semifinals.