DNP-Relaxation, quiet quitting and demise threats: The present state of tanking for Cooper Flagg

Cooper Flagg hasn’t worn an NBA uniform but, however make no mistake about it, his presence is being felt all throughout the league.

The 18-year-old made his NCAA match debut Friday in opposition to Mount St. Mary’s, combating by an ankle harm that knocked him out for many of the ACC match. You possibly can make sure that the stands will likely be peppered with NBA scouts and executives getting a better have a look at the loaded Duke Blue Devils, however they know what they’re getting with Flagg. The 6-foot-9 ahead has lengthy been thought-about the consensus No. 1 total decide whereas main the ACC and all the NCAA discipline in nearly each superior metric.

We will take a guess at how NBA groups really feel about Flagg as a result of the league has launched a number of investigations into groups for purposely sitting good gamers on dangerous groups: i.e. tanking. This downside isn’t new because the NBA has wrestled with the black eye of tanking for many years.

It’s clear that tanking practices are alive and effectively. Final week, the NBA fined the Utah Jazz $100,000 for violating the league’s Participant Participation Coverage involving 2023 All-Star Lauri Markkanen, who sat in opposition to the Washington Wizards earlier within the month (league investigators decided that Markkanen was match to play). The league has additionally reportedly launched an investigation into the Philadelphia 76ers, who’ve a top-6 protected first-round decide within the 2025 Draft, for sitting their stars Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George.

Nonetheless, there are extra delicate tanking practices which have taken maintain throughout the NBA that appear to be, on the very least, tolerated by the league workplace. And it has created a problematic local weather that staffers across the league fear may get harmful rapidly.

The state of tanking guidelines

Extra not too long ago, the NBA has put in three main guardrails in place to attempt to curb the integrity-threatening follow of tanking.

In 2019, the league workplace agreed to flatten the lottery odds for the worst groups, capping the possibilities of successful the No. 1 total decide at 14 % every for the underside three groups. Till then, the league incentivized a race to the underside by rewarding the largest loser with a 25 % probability at securing the highest choice, a lot greater than the second-worst workforce at 19.9 % and the third workforce at 15.6 %.

Secondly, the NBA carried out a play-in match designed to encourage extra groups to compete for a playoff spot and dissuade them from gunning for lottery balls. As a substitute of 30 groups combating for 16 spots, there at the moment are 20 spots to entice extra shedding groups to attempt to win.

Lastly, in 2023, the NBA established the Participant Participation Coverage which was geared toward each workforce, not simply the basement-dwellers, to play its finest gamers as a lot as doable. The league has used the PPP to open investigations into the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder for sitting their beginning 5 in opposition to the Portland Path Blazers earlier this month. The PPP got here on the heels of the Dallas Mavericks violating the league’s earlier participant resting coverage and being fined $750,000 for tanking in 2023.

“The Mavericks’ actions,” NBA govt vp Joe Dumars acknowledged on the time, “failed our fans and our league.”

However even after six-figure fines, groups proceed to take advantage of loopholes in ways in which expose unintended penalties of the PPP.

Resting a key participant … after a relaxation day

Followers hoping to observe Cam Johnson on Thursday have been undoubtedly left disenchanted. And totally confused. The Nets starter, who’s averaging a career-high 18.9 factors and establishing himself as a critical front-facing expertise on “The Young Man And The Three” podcast, isn’t injured or coping with an sickness. Nonetheless, the Nets introduced he wouldn’t be suiting up in Thursday’s recreation in opposition to the Indiana Pacers. As a substitute, he’d be in road garments as a result of what the workforce is designating as “rest.”

The curious factor is that the Nets have been resting Johnson despite the fact that they didn’t play Wednesday. A have a look at the schedule reveals the Nets usually are not taking part in Friday both. This, it seems, isn’t a back-to-back state of affairs. There is no such thing as a cross-country flight for his or her subsequent recreation. Really, the Nets aren’t even touring between Thursday and Saturday’s recreation, taking part in a two-game set in opposition to the Pacers each in Indianapolis.

Alas, the Nets deemed that Johnson, who performed in 19 straight video games sandwiched across the All-Star break, wanted to take a seat out the sport for restoration functions.

In associated information, the Nets entered Thursday tied with the Philadelphia 76ers for fifth-best odds within the lottery sweepstakes, a workforce that’s already below investigation for eradicating a number of star gamers from the ground. With out their finest shooter, the Nets shot 28 % from downtown and misplaced in time beyond regulation in opposition to Indiana, giving them a greater probability at extra pingpong ball combos for lottery evening.

The wholesome scratch, also called the DNP-Relaxation, was a button that groups pressed throughout back-to-back units. In these situations, a workforce and its medical employees decided {that a} participant wouldn’t be subjected to harm threat related to taking part in two video games in as many days.

However now it’s bled into video games outdoors of back-to-back units. It seems that there’s a contagious high quality to this follow as a result of increasingly groups are adopting the technique. That is the NBA. As soon as one workforce figures out a loophole, others will quickly comply with.

On the tanking scoreboard, the Nets appear to be merely maintaining with the Joneses. The Nets have assuredly seen the Toronto Raptors shamelessly pulling the identical lever and skirting any league investigations. The Raptors, who have been tied on Thursday within the loss column with Brooklyn, have led the NBA with 9 DNP-Rests this month, topping the loss-leading Jazz, who’ve 5 listed DNP-Rests.

The Toronto instances appear to suit a rotational sample. On March 20 in opposition to Golden State, RJ Barrett was a DNP-Relaxation with an off day on each side. On March 14 in opposition to Utah, Jakob Poeltl was a DNP-Relaxation with an off day on each side. On March 12 in opposition to Philadelphia, Immanuel Quickley was a DNP-Relaxation with an off day on each side. On March 10 in opposition to Washington, Poeltl was a DNP-Relaxation … you get the thought. The Raptors have rested a key participant — whether or not it’s Barrett, Quickley or Poeltl — for every of the final eight video games. All scot-free from any league punishment.

So why are the Jazz getting hammered for sitting Markkanen — a man who’s averaging 19.0 factors and 5.9 rebounds — whereas the Raptors can legally sit Barrett, who’s averaging 21.5 factors per recreation and 6.5 rebounds?

It comes right down to the letter of the regulation. The league deems Markkanen a “star player” as a result of he has been named to an All-Star or All-NBA workforce throughout the earlier three seasons, which is the designated standards for “star player” standing within the Participant Participation Coverage. The identical goes for the Sixers’ star trio of Embiid, Maxey and George who’re the themes of the league’s investigation. It’s seemingly why the Raptors haven’t included Scottie Barnes, a 2024 All-Star, in these DNP-Relaxation video games.

However a better have a look at Barnes’ substitution patterns reveals a delicate tanking technique that has caught the attention across the league. The Jazz have evidently taken discover as a result of they’ve adopted the identical blueprint. If the Jazz and Raptors can’t sit their stars for all the recreation, they’ve resorted to a half-measure: quiet-quitting in the midst of the sport.

Quiet-quitting throughout the recreation

It was 2019 when the New Orleans Pelicans had a 7-foot downside on their fingers. The face of their franchise, Anthony Davis, wished out, however nonetheless wished to play basketball. So as to shield Davis from injuring himself and ruining commerce worth, along with maximizing their upcoming first-round draft decide, the Pelicans sat Davis in video games down the stretch.

The league stepped in and reminded the Pelicans of the league’s aggressive integrity guidelines that required a wholesome Davis to play. The following compromise created a mockery of the competitors. Davis performed, however the workforce would bench its finest participant in fourth quarters even when wins have been inside grasp.

Scottie Barnes is not any Anthony Davis, however like Davis, he’s at present deemed a star by the NBA’s Participant Participation Coverage and the Raptors are quietly following the Davis blueprint by sitting Barnes and different key gamers in clutch conditions. Towards the Blazers on Sunday, Barnes checked out on the 8:40 mark within the fourth quarter with 16 factors, six assists, six rebounds and 6 steals and by no means returned. Barnes and Poeltl watched crunchtime from the bench because the Raptors blew a six-point lead with 5:22 left remaining. The Raptors misplaced by three.

That was a gentle tank-job try in comparison with the shenanigans that transpired two days earlier in opposition to the Jazz. In that recreation, the Raptors held an 11-point lead with 9:51 left within the fourth quarter. Toronto coach Darko Rajakovic signaled for Jamison Battle, Colin Castleton and Jamal Shead to examine in for the workforce’s three finest gamers Barrett, Quickley and Barnes. As the sport started to tighten to a two-possession recreation, the Raptors’ trio by no means checked again in. The Raptors held on to win by eight.

A part of the explanation why the Raptors didn’t really feel compelled to play their finest gamers down the stretch? The Jazz engaged in some shenanigans of their very own, taking part in their star, Markkanen, for less than 19 minutes within the recreation. Markkanen began the sport however didn’t play in all the second half. He joined his fellow backcourt mate Walker Kessler, who suited up, however coach Will Hardy by no means referred to as him into the sport. This was Utah’s response after the league fined them $100,000 for sitting Markkanen.

And one of many NBA’s closest companions is voicing their concern: the betting neighborhood.

The brand new risks of tanking

NBA gamers leaving video games early for mysterious causes may look like innocent gamesmanship. Hey, we’re speaking a few bunch of additional pingpong balls bouncing round a plastic container, what’s the massive deal? However this isn’t all enjoyable and video games. A former NBA participant, Jontay Porter — a Toronto Raptor no much less — may resist 20 years in federal jail for doing that very factor — leaving video games early below doubtful circumstances. Porter was charged with conspiring with a bunch of bettors to repair his over/below participant props for monetary acquire. It’s the primary NBA fixing scandal since 1954.

Right here we’re, lower than a yr later, watching key Raptors gamers mysteriously sit within the recreation’s greatest moments, elevating all kinds of eyebrows within the betting neighborhood and past. The unlucky residue of the Porter scandal casts a darkish shadow on each late-game benching within the NBA. Was he actually harm? Did he simply pull a Porter? What have been his pregame props?

However the true hazard goes past cynical hunches. All through the season, a number of staffers from NBA groups at numerous ranges have reported to Yahoo Sports activities that sports activities bettors have more and more made demise threats in individual and on social media channels, going so far as invoking relations and private info, a leaguewide pattern that The Athletic coated final month. And it’s solely gotten worse with the tanking groups.

Extra not too long ago, groups on the backside of the standings have been trapped within the convoluted internet of the NBA’s contradictory incentive construction. By giving the worst groups the most effective odds at touchdown a franchise-changing expertise like Cooper Flagg within the draft, it incentivizes groups to lose video games on the finish of the season. On one hand, these groups appearing in their very own self-interest may select to be clear, sit their finest gamers and play the lengthy recreation of accelerating their odds at successful the Flagg sweepstakes. However that, as we’ve seen with the Jazz and others, would incur fines from the league workplace.

The choice technique — quiet-quitting in the midst of video games — hasn’t been the topic of any ongoing investigations, sources inform Yahoo Sports activities. However it already comes at a probably grave price: getting flooded with demise threats.

Across the league, sources have mentioned they’ve handled poisonous messages in current weeks which have turn into so commonplace that they’ve tried to turn into numb to it, shrugging it off because the unlucky price of doing enterprise with sportsbooks.

Due to how a lot cash gamers, coaches and executives are making today, few are keen to talk brazenly in regards to the rising undercurrent of gambling-related allegations which are tough to discern what’s critical and what’s not. Some aren’t keen to be quiet about it. A yr in the past, Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton mentioned, “To half the world, I’m just helping them make money on DraftKings or whatever … I’m the prop.”

Last season, J.B. Bickerstaff, then coaching the Cleveland Cavaliers, revealed that he received gambling-related death threats from bettors in 2022-23 and reported it to the league office.

“They got my telephone number and were sending me crazy messages about where I live and my kids and all that stuff,” Bickerstaff mentioned. “So it is a dangerous game and a fine line that we’re walking for sure.”

If it wasn’t for Bickerstaff talking up, we would not have ever identified about it. The story wasn’t reported till Bickerstaff shared it in a postgame press convention a yr later. He mentioned the gambler who made the threats was discovered. “I understand the business side of it and the nature of the business of it,” Bickerstaff mentioned. “But I mean, it is something that I believe has gone too far.”

Making every part trickier and probably extra harmful is that coaches, who are sometimes the topic of those demise threats, have inside details about participant availability methods on a particular recreation. If the Raptors know earlier than a selected recreation that they’re going to take a seat Barnes, Quickley and Poeltl down the stretch, that strategic info could be notably helpful to bettors and sportsbooks. By rule, groups must disclose who’s on the harm report within the lead-up to tipoff, however not whether or not they’re going to play a full recreation — and thus have a greater probability at hitting their participant prop overs.

We’ll see if the quiet-quitting continues throughout March Insanity, and which workforce wins the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes in Could. In 2018-19, after weeks of shenanigans with Davis, the Pelicans ended up shutting down their star for the ultimate two weeks of the season and, for his or her efforts, landed with the seventh-best odds at No. 1.

One month later, the Pelicans gained the draft lottery, incomes the best to draft Zion Williamson, a Duke huge man who was thought-about the most effective prospect in years.