NBA Tanking Explodes Wizards Kings Among Culprits

Merlin sees the league wrestling with a growing tanking epidemic. Multiple executives told ESPN it is rampant because it works, with one GM noting teams "are doing the whole gamut: sitting guys in the fourth, playing analytically bad lineups, drawing up plays for bad shots." Several clubs sit near the bottom as they chase the deep 2026 draft class, and the NBA has floated major changes to the lottery and record rules to blunt the incentive. Merlin senses unrest on the floor. Players resent veterans and contract-year guys being benched for random call-ups — "That s--t will piss anyone off," a player said. The board of governors has three proposals on the table including lottery-odds tweaks, multi-year records, and a win floor. Expect negotiation, compromise, and one clear rule change before next season.