Why tanking is a vital part of the NBA ecosystem
The reintroduction of wolves in Yellowstone was a success for the ecosystem. Before 1995, wolves were eradicated from the area around the 1920s. The elk and deer population grew, which had negative consequences for other animals. Wolves fed on elks, so the elker population shrank and the trees died. Without the wolves, the Beaver population shrunk and without the dams, fish populations struggled to lay their eggs. The trickle-down effect of not having the Wolves was huge. It helped the fish population grow by providing shelter and places to spawn. With more fish in the river, and more berries available, bear population also grew.
Danny Ainge tanked the Utah Jazz to get better prospects for the future. The Timberwolves and Cavaliers were both teams that competed at the play-in level and leveled up to consistent playoff teams. The Jazz trading two all-stars just improved the talent of two mid-tier contenders. While Utah disappears into anonymity next season, two teams will get more national TV games. Other championship contenders will look to make a move to improve their odds. Utah will be one of them. It's a good math to me. Tanking is good for NBA product. it improves the overall NBA products. and improves fans' experience. I'm not finished.
The NBA needs to find a solution to the issue of players trying to get out of contracts early. The Jazz have always had their great players drafted in the draft. If the NBA stops tanking, it will remove a lot of hope and publicity for smaller market teams. The NBA has to figure out a way to fix this issue. It will not solve the problem of the players wanting to leave the league early, but it might solve other issues. In between Lakers segments, the Jazz were one of biggest storylines all NBA offseason. No one will ever forget this moment with Brian Windhorst.
Tanking makes smaller market teams relevant and makes them an important part of an evolving NBA ecosystem. Events like the NBA Draft, Lottery Night, Free Agency, and Trade Deadline are just as interesting to NBA fans as the games. Adam Silver should find ways to give these events more prominence. The NBA needs to lean into it because it's the championship for teams that are tanking. If anything, tankers can become the league's version of Stranger Things. It's better to track the tankings and see who can rise to the top than watch 6-8 teams with a chance at winning the title. The lottery night is going to be electric.
