The Journey to the Bottom: The Implications Involved in the Tank for Victor Wembanyama
Countless NBA teams have explored the possibility of tanking the 2022–23 NBA season to increase their odds of acquiring the renowned wonder kid, Victor Wembanyama. What hasn’t been discussed, however, are the implications that arise with tanking.
Eighteen-year-old Victor Wembanyama, is already viewed as a star in the eyes of numerous NBA executives His impressive three-point shooting ability, superb interior and exterior defense, and polished ball-handling skills, coupled with his 7’3” frame, make him one of the most intriguing prospects in NBA history. With some analysts already calling him the best prospect since LeBron James, which team wouldn’t want Wembanyama?
The answer to this question can be found in the offseason decisions by mid-level small-market NBA teams. The Spurs traded away their top player, Dejounte Murray to the Hawks, while the Jazz traded away their all-star duo, Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell. Why? So that they may get the chance to select Wembanyama in the 2023 Draft.
The Jazz and Spurs, as well as the Pacers, Thunder, Rockets, and Magic, have all been rumoured to attempt to purposely lose games this season in order to have a chance at selecting Wembanyama, with one GM telling ESPN that the race for Wembanyama “will start a race to the bottom like we’ve never seen”.
This idea, known as tanking, may seem like a viable option to acquire star prospects like Wembanyama, especially for small-market teams who are unlikely to attract an All-Star level free agent. But in reality, the implications of tanking could harm the NBA.
With more teams tanking the season, the NBA already loses an edge of competitiveness that keeps viewers entertained. Instead of trying to win a championship, mid-level teams are now often opting to tank instead of being more competitive. Tanking is also unfair to fans, who pay to watch their teams compete, only to see them lose on purpose.
On top of that, the NBA has set up parameters within the Draft Lottery to purposefully discourage teams from tanking. A team that places last in the league only has a 14% chance of being awarded the first overall pick, so is it really worth it to disappoint supporters and tank the season for a 14% chance?
The number of teams tanking has grown over the years, while the consequences for tanking remain the same. This season, with the prospect of drafting Wembanyama looming, there will be two different races: a race to a championship and a race to the bottom.