The tanking conversation never really leaves the NBA. It just changes faces. This time, former champion and analyst Richard Jefferson offered a solution that borrows directly from global soccer.
Speaking on Road Trippin’, Jefferson laid out a system that would reward eliminated teams for continuing to compete instead of shutting things down. “There was a thing in soccer,” Jefferson said. “Once you are eliminated from the playoffs, you should actually be given points towards your percentage for the games you win.”
He explained the mechanics clearly. If a team gets knocked out with 10 games remaining and goes winless, its lottery odds would drop. If that same team finishes 6-4, its odds would improve. “The wins give you closer percentage to a higher pick,” Jefferson added, suggesting a bump from 30 percent to 35 percent in his example. In short, he wants to reward effort, not collapse.
Richard Jefferson talking about how to prevent teams from tanking in the NBA
“There was a thing in soccer… pic.twitter.com/UQyBzXlbNU
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) February 10, 2026
Jazz Spotlight Puts Tanking Debate Back in Focus
Jefferson’s comments arrived at a moment when scrutiny around tanking intensified, particularly for the Utah Jazz. Earlier this week against the Orlando Magic, Utah built a 17-point lead and entered the fourth quarter ahead 94-87. Then the rotation shifted dramatically.
The Jazz benched four of five starters late in the game, leaving only Ace Bailey on the floor, per MSN. Orlando stormed back and secured a 120-117 win. Around the league, observers questioned whether that substitution pattern reflected long-term planning over short-term victory.
Utah currently sits at 16-37 through 53 games. Despite adding Jaren Jackson Jr. before the trade deadline and already rostering veterans like Jusuf Nurkic and Lauri Markkanen, the franchise faces expectations that it could prioritize draft positioning. That tension fuels Jefferson’s broader argument.
His proposal sounds logical on the surface. Incentivize late-season wins, eliminate the optics of surrender, and keep fans engaged. Yet critics quickly point to a flaw. What about teams that compete every night but simply lack the firepower to close games? A system that ties lottery odds to late-season success could unintentionally punish honest rebuilding efforts.
Still, Jefferson forced the league to confront an uncomfortable truth. The current lottery format has not erased tanking debates. Whether the NBA ever embraces a soccer-inspired tweak remains unclear. But the conversation has momentum, and the Jazz just gave it fresh oxygen.
