SAN FRANCISCO — Tanking is becoming even more prevalent in the NBA this season and is expected to increase over time as teams prepare for one of the strongest draft classes in years. As the league evaluates possible measures to combat tanking, some organizations are showing every night that their most important goal isn’t winning.
The Utah Jazz, who acquired Jaren Jackson Jr. from the Memphis Grizzlies last week, sat Jackson and big man Lauri Markkanen in Monday’s win over the Miami Heat. The Memphis Grizzlies did not play several key players at crucial times during Monday’s loss to the Golden State Warriors. The Washington Wizards, who recently acquired former All-Stars Trae Young and Anthony Davis, we are in no hurry to have one or the other return as the team racks up losses in exchange for a chance to improve their draft positioning.
With that backdrop, longtime Warriors coach Steve Kerr was asked after Tuesday’s film session if he expected to see more tanking attempts as the season progresses.
“That’s a great question,” Kerr said. “It’s really not for me to answer. I can tell you we’re in a position where we’re desperately trying to win, not only every game, but (also) put ourselves in position to be healthy for the playoffs. So our situation is the exact opposite. We have older players. Sometimes we go into a game thinking if we play it tonight, that’s Steph (Curry), Al (Horford), Draymond (Green), the repercussions on the other end could be It’s really negative for us So we actually have a history of trying to preserve our guys to improve our record.
“Every team faces their own situation, and I’m going to handle ours and let everyone else handle theirs.”
A longtime steward of the game, Kerr was initially reluctant to discuss the subject, aware of the NBA’s widespread sensitivity on the subject. Yet as he answered questions Tuesday, he seemed to see both sides of the debate. On the one hand, tanking is bad for the game; On the other hand, recruiting a top star to lead your organization for at least a decade can build a team for long-term success.
“At the end of the day, you have to get lucky in the lottery,” Kerr said. “That’s what makes this problem so tricky is that the great players – Steph (Curry) and Tim Duncan, Wemby – don’t just change teams, but they change franchises, even beyond the scope of their careers.
“And so there’s only a handful of players that can do that, that are that valuable. And so every team wants them. Sometimes you don’t know who they are. Steph was the seventh pick. Giannis (Antetokounmpo) was the (15th). So it’s not always the first two guys, but more often than not the first pick has the opportunity to be that guy, and that’s what creates this problem.”
Does Kerr, who won nine NBA championships as a player and coach, feel like tanking is more common than in previous years?
“Ironically, in recent years it seems like it hasn’t been at the forefront like it is this year because of the Play-In,” Kerr said. “More teams felt like they were in the mix. This year it’s pronounced just because of the circumstances and the situation of a lot of teams – injuries, starting to rebuild, that kind of thing. I know the league is really concerned about it, as it should be. It’s not good for the fans, for the league itself. They’re thinking about everything. It’s a really tough question.”
The Warriors will face Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night in Golden State’s final game before the All-Star break. Kerr, who coached against the French big man in the NBA and the 2024 Paris Olympics, said he can’t remember a player comparable to what the 7-foot-5 Wembanyama does every night.
“It’s the combination of a unique body type with the modern guard skills that a lot of these big players have, but it seems even more extreme with him,” Kerr said. “His ability to dribble, pass and shoot, but his size, his length, it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen. It’s quite a combination. … He’s got it all. He’s got all the attributes you look for in a star player and a face of the franchise.”
While the Warriors await Curry’s return from a lingering runner’s knee injury, they also hope their new big man, Kristaps Porzingis, makes his team debut against the Boston Celtics on February 19. On Tuesday, Kerr said Porzingis, who has struggled to stay on the court the past two seasons due to various health issues, has been working out at three-on-three and feeling better.
“That’s what we’re hoping for,” Kerr said. “He played three-on-three this morning. He’s staying here for the All-Star break, so he’ll be here to practice. He was close to coming back for Atlanta. That’s one of the reasons we made the trade, because our performance team did their due diligence and felt like he would be on track to play shortly after the break. That’s always the hope, but it’s kind of an everyday thing.”
