Does 'tanking' actually exist?

[Bobcatter]

I am currently in an argument with a friend over whether tanking actually occurs in the NBA or not. He considers 'tanking' to merely be a conspiracy theory and will accept nothing less than PROOF (maybe in the form of a GM quote or something of that nature) that tanking has occurred. Is there anybody here that can help me win this argument?

[SWedd523]

Cho has said himself that taking the job as our GM was contingent on MJ/Higgins being okay with a full on rebuild.

Something along the lines of ”are you willing to take a step back to take two steps forward?”


Not necessarily saying we were going to ”tank” but I guess that depends on how you view the word ”rebuild”. I view it as they gave him full command of the tank

[dnbman]

I am currently in an argument with a friend over whether tanking actually occurs in the NBA or not. He considers 'tanking' to merely be a conspiracy theory and will accept nothing less than PROOF (maybe in the form of a GM quote or something of that nature) that tanking has occurred. Is there anybody here that can help me win this argument?

There's no question, though it's most transparent at the end of the season when guys get shut down for the last few weeks with hair injuries.

[teej]

Go ask John Lucas, the Cavs coach who was ordered to tank for LeBron...then got fired for it.

Or the Hornets last season, letting Kaman take time off for no reason. Or us, trading away Jack and GW for nothing that helped immediately.

[Plowright]

That would be an absolute yes, your friend is wrong, your right!

[Toocool]

Tanking definately exists in the NBA.
Exists in just about every sport involving draft picks really, or when there's a benefit to tank (i.e olympics badminton, the 4 pairs tanking)