Addressing Tanking

It's been a while since I've heard the term "tanking," referring to any team's collapse at virtually the end of its season in order to gain a higher draft spot (or more draft stock, in the NBA Lottery's case). If you've kept up with SportsCenter in the last few years, you've probably heard the term once or twice, but in general not too often.

I've recently been involved in a discussion about how the NBA Draft Lottery prevents teams from tanking, which in my opinion seems like the only upside to the lottery system. While I agree that the lottery may keep teams from tanking at the end of their season (because no one has a set draft position, just greater stock toward the first pick), I don't think tanking should be a concern in any way, regardless of whether or not the NBA takes up a regular draft system or keeps it as is.

When a team intentionally tanks as its season wraps up and the postseason becomes an unattainable goal, it's usually a top draft choice that becomes the prize upon which its eyes are fixated. This is most common in the NFL, where there is an abundance of stellar players from college, and the cream of the crop is awarded to those who lose the most.

But just because tanking might mean a top draft choice doesn't necessarily mean all the problems from last season will be solved that way.

Every team and every front office organization in the world of sports is very aware that it is first and foremost a business, and by tanking teams lose serious amounts of money. It's bad enough that the team is in tanking position in the first place, which obviously doesn't do wonders for the fan base. But to purposely lose games at the end of the season really turns people against an organization, because it's certainly not a step in the right direction. No one wants to buy tickets and go to games to watch a team purposely lose. And if the front office of a sports club has control of its staff and players, which they should, they wouldn't allow tanking.

So if the NBA were to switch its draft system over to a standarized one (worst team gets first pick), I don't think tanking would be any issue. It hasn't been an issue for years in any sport, and not much would change that would make tanking a serious problem. It's still a business, which is what everyone needs to remember. The reason teams get better (as was brought up in one of my off-blog conversations) is by building bench depth, trading for players that fit team needs, and hiring coaches and staff members that will get the job done. And what is all of that completed with? That's right...MONEY!

So here's to the thought of tanking having been an experiment of the past, and a complete failure of a concept.