Column: NBA's Tanking Woes Dilute Case For Expansion

As the fruitless art of tanking continues to permeate, the NBA should get its existing 30 in order before adding a couple.

Tragically, Herman Edwards was not destined to be an NBA head coach.

Edwards, who went viral before it was cool thanks to his “you play to win the game” rant while at the helm of the NFL’s New York Jets in 2002, has been dutifully defied by the Association over the past few weeks. Squalid squads at the bottom of the standings have hardly hid their lack of desire in winning.

(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

The Utah Jazz, for example, offered a new definition of Florida vacation when they removed their primary men (including deadline acquisition Jaren Jackson Jr.) from play during recent thrillers against Orlando and Miami. Other teams don’t wait for tip-off to tank, leaving such matters to present and future injury reports.

A very casual glance at the trade deadline ledgers would label the Washington Wizards winners of the transactional freeze. But it’s clear that Washington is in no rush to dress acquisitions Anthony Davis and Trae Young, who would at the very least endanger the chances of keeping a lottery pick that would escape to New York if they get mediocre.

The equally woebegone Indiana Pacers have engaged in a similar approach to another mover in Ivica Zubac, who would no doubt help a team ranked dead-last in defensive rebounds. That also doesn’t account for the deadline’s sellers who have at least had the decency to be a little more subtle in their defiance: Brooklyn, Chicago, Dallas, Memphis, New Orleans, and Sacramento have all essentially punted on the Play-In, preferring ping-pong balls to any sort of postseason.

Tons of Tanking Makes Expanding Look Ludicrous

The campy “art” of tanking, especially in a world where the NBA deems two-thirds of its teams worthy of playing at least an 83rd game, is ludicrous as is. Finding a solution is likely a multi-pronged process, but at least one has little-to-no chance of working: expansion.

The Association is reportedly inching toward a vote to 32 teams, with Las Vegas and Seattle the favorites for tip-off. Like any business, an NBA foundling is subject to growing pains on the financial front and seasonal fronts: the last team to enter, doing so in 2004, technically no longer exists, as the Charlotte Bobcats were essentially absorbed by the Hornets reboot overseen shortly after the franchise’s sale. Four of the last six teams to enter the league have not appeared in the NBA Finals and only one (Toronto) has lifted the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

In other words, the last thing that the Association needs is yet two more teams that have no intentions of immediately competing for a title. Why struggle in mediocrity when you can leap to the top of the draft board? Sure, the 2026 draft almost makes the macabre exercise of tanking almost somewhat understandable. But what happens when the talents of the next class or the next few after that start to dwindle?

The Utah Jazz has ruled Lauri Markkanen (rest) out for Wednesday’s game against the Sacramento Kings. Keyonte George (right ankle sprain) and Walker Kessler (left shoulder injury recovery) are out as well.

— Jason Anderson (@JandersonSacBee) February 11, 2026

How Important Are Draft Assets?

Patience for draft picks is already at a declining pace: Rob Dillingham and Jared McCain, first-round selections in 2024, were among those dealt at this deadline. How long before Las Vegas or the potentially rebooted SuperSonics start to realize that losing is the only way to win? That inches toward a top-heavy inferno where there are still star attractions but then almost half … maybe more? … suddenly has no incentive to win ball games.

All that and more comes before teams start to generate their protection lists, ones that will likely allow them to stash eight men when the expansion bell finally tolls. Even the draft isn’t an immediate solution: recent entrants have had immediate restrictions placed upon them, as the Bobcats were forced to make a trade to take No. 2 choice and future NBA Rookie of the Year Emeka Okafor.

Tanking should not be as glorified as it is. It’s essentially asking athletes, who could already lose one of the most sought-after jobs the world has to offer, to make fools of themselves to pave the path to local success they’ll likely never get to personally experience. The fact of the matter is, however, that the NBA (or any other professional league, for that matter) has done nothing to disincentivize the practice and it’ll likely continue until there’s legal reason to move on from it. With no gatekeeping as it stands, the incoming teams are in prime position to be the next ones to take advantage.

“I think Seattle’s a foregone conclusion. They never should’ve left Seattle in the first place – it is a great fanbase.”

– Reggie Miller on potential NBA expansion to Seattle and Las Vegas. @Nutrafol pic.twitter.com/lnk8qq46Jj

— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) February 10, 2026

There’s No Perfect Time, But It Doesn’t Feel Like the Right Time

There probably isn’t a perfect time expansion, as the NBA’s female counterparts can attest: the WNBA warmly welcomed the Golden State Valkyries and its expected to begin the next decade with 18 squads. But, the contentious labor environment (one that has placed the 2026 tip-off in serious jeopardy) has forced the next newcomers, the Toronto Tempo and the returning Portland Fire, into an awkward spot where they have nary a woman on their roster less than three months from their alleged debuts.

But while it may have bitten off just a little more than it could chew, the WNBA at least struck the expansion iron while it was hot, capitalizing on a visible, viable interest in the women’s game.

The WNBA’s relative patience, seemingly a curse to stick around at a dozen teams for so long, also played in its favor: the talent development in that span allowed for the Valkyries to immediately stock up on pro-ready, contending talent such as domestic and international champions like Temi Fagbenle, Iliana Rupert, and Julie Vanloo.

Such a talent disparity placed some of the elite names of the game on both the top and bottom of the ledgers: the bottom two teams in last league still featured renowned talents like Paige Bueckers, Kamilla Cardoso, Arike Ogunbowale, and Angel Reese. That phenomenon doesn’t exist among the males: all but one rostered 2026 All-Star (the injured Giannis Antetokounmpo) is currently destined for some sort of postseason appearance and injury replacements are far from readily available on, say, Sacramento or New Orleans.

The NBA is looking to expand its real estate. Perhaps it should consider renovations on its own properties before purchasing more.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags