Tanking has existed in the NBA for decades, but the 2025–2026 season may have pushed the strategy to a breaking point. While Mark Cuban argues that fans attend games for the experience rather than the outcome, that view overlooks the diehard supporters who care deeply about what happens on the court. If teams aren’t trying to win, what exactly are fans paying to see?

The modern NBA feels different. Tanking has become strategy, three point shooting has replaced creativity, and loyalty between players and teams feels like a relic of another era. From gambling scandals to the search for the next true superstar, the league finds itself at a crossroads. Can the NBA rediscover the passion and identity that once made it the most captivating game on the planet?