In just a few days, the NBA will begin the second half of the season, and it is expected that most teams will try to strengthen their positions to earn the much-coveted ticket to the playoffs.
As far as other squads are concerned, let the tanking begin.
Tanking has been a persistent issue for the NBA, affecting the integrity of the league. Whenever teams don't play to win, it's the fans who lose.
Although there are fines that punish tanking, ESPN's Bobby Marks said they are not necessarily a deterrent, because team owners have very deep pockets.
"When you're a billionaire, you would rather write a blank check for the ability to be drafted in the top three or top four because those players are game-changers and everything," Marks said on "The Hoop Collective."
"A team texted me and said, 'Listen, what is this? Seven million? Eight million? How much will it cost? We'll pay the fine.' Now, listen, when you come out and say we're going to start taking away draft picks and we're going to start taking away resources, now it becomes something else.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cnhq4Pd2n9Q[/embed]
Wisely, Steve Ballmer, who owns the Los Angeles Clippers, is one of the richest people in the world with a net worth of $140 billion.
Most of his fellow team owners are multi-billionaires, including Miriam Adelson and Patrick Dumont of the Dallas Mavericks ($40 billion), Robert Pera of the Memphis Grizzlies ($30 billion), and Dan Gilbert of the Cleveland Cavaliers ($26 billion).
Recently, the NBA fined the Utah Jazz $500,000 and the Indiana Pacers $100,000 for sitting out healthy players, deeming it "conduct detrimental to the league."
The Jazz have the third-worst record in the Western Conference, while the Pacers have the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference.
