Draymond Green pushes heavy NBA fines for tanking
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green called for the NBA to impose steep fines on teams suspected of tanking after his team's 110-105 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday. Green argued the league fines players readily but spares teams, despite evidence of widespread tanking. He also declared the play-in tournament ineffective at curbing the practice.
The NBA fined the Utah Jazz $500,000 for conduct detrimental to the league after pulling top players late in two February games. The Indiana Pacers drew a $100,000 penalty for violating the player participation policy in an early February matchup against Utah. Green referenced those actions and pressed for broader enforcement, stating teams deserve the same financial punishment as players.
Green, a four-time NBA champion who has played his entire career with Golden State, questioned the consistency in league discipline. He noted only two fines amid suspected tanking by multiple teams. The Warriors hold the 10th spot in the Western Conference standings and have secured a play-in tournament berth.
Green criticized the play-in format, introduced under Commissioner Adam Silver to discourage tanking by incentivizing competition for lower playoff seeds. He said it worked initially but fails now, as teams can lose late games and remain stuck in 10th place. Golden State faces the challenge of advancing through the play-in to reach the playoffs.
