The NBA Still Has A TANKING Problem & Adam Silver Needs To Do Something | HARD PASS Ep. #96

NBA tanking isn’t subtle anymore … it’s happening right in front of everyone 👀

Doug Kezirian breaks down why the league’s tanking problem has reached a boiling point, why teams like the Utah Jazz are openly prioritizing lottery odds over wins, and why it may finally force Commissioner Adam Silver to change his approach to leadership.

From starters sitting entire fourth quarters, to coaches admitting they never planned to re-enter key players, to franchises being incentivized to lose in order to protect draft picks, Doug explains how the system is producing exactly the behavior fans hate. If losing is rewarded and there are no consequences, why would teams act any differently?

Doug also explores potential fixes, from limiting back-to-back top picks, to adopting multi-year lottery formulas, and why the NBA may need a tougher, more Goodell-style crackdown before the perception problem gets worse.

Is tanking smart team-building … or bad for the integrity of the sport? Drop your take in the comments and don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more Hard Pass 💯

“It’s Silver’s turn to be the adult in the room and save his league from its current trajectory” – Doug Kezirian

#nba #nbadraft #nbatanking #tankathon #utahjazz #adamsilver #basketball #nbalottery #nbafans

HARD PASS Ep. #96

On Today’s Episode:

00:00 - Intro

00:26 - The Hoop Scoop

🏀 Doug dives into the NBA’s tanking issue and explains why it has hit a breaking point, and why Adam Silver may need to abandon the “nice guy” image to protect the league.

00:28 - How The NFL Solved Their Crisis

🏀 Doug compares today’s NBA tanking to the NFL’s mid-2000s disciplinary problems and explains why Adam Silver may need a firmer, Goodell-style approach to change behavior.

02:08 - The Tanking Is Blatant Now

🏀 Doug reacts to the Utah Jazz sitting starters for the entire fourth quarter, and a coach openly admitting he never considered putting them back in. What used to be subtle is now happening in plain sight.

03:58 - Why Teams Are Incentivized To Lose

🏀 Doug walks through how lottery odds, pick protections, and future assets create a system where losing is often smarter than winning. If franchises are rewarded for defeats, the behavior shouldn’t surprise anyone.

07:07 - Possible Fixes?

🏀 Doug evaluates solutions being floated around the league, including limiting back-to-back top picks and using multi-year records to determine lottery positioning. Would changes like these actually stop teams from gaming the system?

#basketballnews #sportsdebate #sportspodcast #viralbasketball #basketballtalk #nfl #sportscommunity #nbanews

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