Mark Cuban: Why Tanking Isn’t the NBA’s Biggest Problem

Cuban’s take: don’t demonize rebuilding

Mark Cuban stirred up conversation this week when he called out what he thinks is the real issue in the NBA. Although he sold the controlling stake in the Dallas Mavericks in December 2023 for roughly $3.5 billion and now holds a minority share, he’s still not shy about sharing strong opinions about the league.

In a long post on social media, Cuban argued that tanking — deliberately accepting short-term losses to improve draft position — shouldn’t be treated like a dirty word. He said fans understand that a team can’t win every game and that what most supporters want is hope: a clear path to getting better through the draft, trades and cap space. Those routes, he says, are easier to pursue when a franchise is building for the long term.

What the league should be focusing on

Cuban suggested the league’s energy would be better spent improving the game-day experience and making basketball more accessible to fans, rather than obsessing over the optics of tanking. He pointed to the Mavericks’ own history as an example: strategic rebuilding helped the franchise land Luka Dončić in the 2018 draft, a move that reshaped the team’s future.

That view comes as the NBA debates competitive balance and whether the current draft and lottery system promotes intentional losing. The commissioner has recently taken steps to clamp down on perceived tanking, including stiffer penalties and fines related to resting star players in ways that look like gamesmanship.

Cuban’s long tenure with the Mavericks — he bought the team in 2000 for about $285 million, turned it into a consistent contender and claimed an NBA title in 2011 — gives weight to his perspective. Now, keeping a minority stake while stepping back from control, his comments have revived a familiar debate: how to balance short-term competition, fan engagement and the patience needed to build sustainable contenders.

Whether you agree with him or not, Cuban’s point is simple: the league should pick its battles. Clarify the rules around rebuilding, focus on making games better for fans, and the rest becomes less controversial.