Tanking has become a major talking point in the NBA, and dominated much of the discourse over the All-Star break. With six teams 20 games below .500 or worse, Adam Silver recently admitted that this behavior has been even worse than usual this season.
Mat Ishbia is part of the crowd disgusted by the tactic, but Phoenix Suns owner’s recent social media rant on tanking surprisingly drew a polarized online reaction from fans and analysts.
The NBA World Emphatically Responded to Mat Ishbia’s Anti-Tanking Rant
The Suns have put together a surprising 2025-26 season and are fighting for a spot in the top 6 of the Western Conference. At 32-23, the franchise has successfully rebuilt itself after the failure of the Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal trio.
Ishbia has owned Suns for just over three years and has since become one of the league’s more outspoken personalities. The 46-year-old subsequently went on one of his longer rants over X today.
Ishbia bashed tanking franchises as “losers” without naming names, calling the strategy “ridiculous”, while also emphasizing that, “This is much worse than any prop bet scandal.”
This is ridiculous! Tanking is losing behavior done by losers. Purposely losing is something nobody should want to be associated with. Embarrassing for the league and for the organizations. And the talk about this as a “strategy” is ridiculous.
If you are a bad team, you get a… https://t.co/VoUx3YEdB5
— Mat Ishbia (@Mishbia15) February 19, 2026
Ishbia’s comments subsequently sent NBA Twitter into a frenzy with many questioning his motives since the Suns are in no position to tank.
“Sir, you can’t tank. You don’t have complete control over one of your first round picks until the year 2032”, Philadelphia Sixers reporter Tony Jones noted in response to Ishbia.
“‘Tanking is loser behavior’ – guy with zero draft picks”, said another fan while Dallas Mavericks’ analyst Isaac Harris surmised that, “the NBA will probably make changes soon, but (I’m) bookmarking this anyway for when the Suns rebuild & actually own their picks.”
the nba will probably make changes soon, but bookmarking this anyway for when the suns rebuild & actually own their picks https://t.co/WYyW9KCKAz
— Isaac Harris (@IsaacLHarris) February 19, 2026
Ishbia’s post additionally set off fans of tanking franchises, who criticized his tenure as the Suns’ owner.
A Utah Jazz fan warned that Ishbia, “Will learn the hard way in the next few years. Phoenix is an awesome story this year but when you have no control over your own draft pick until 2032 at the earliest it can get scary extremely quick.”
You will learn the hard way in the next few years. Phoenix is an awesome story this year but when you have no control over your own draft pick until 2032 at the earliest it can get scary extremely quick.
— Art Cummings (@ArtTakesNote) February 19, 2026
Meanwhile, a Washington Wizards supporter gave a sarcastic response about the Suns allowing his franchise to get off of Beal’s contract.
“Mat! Thank you so much for effectively ending your teams championships window and trading for Bradley Beal! You took his terrible contract off the Wizards’ books and gave up picks to do it! Now the Wizards can freely tank for top 5 talent. Enjoy the play-in Mr. Ishbia!”
Mat! Thank you so much for effectively ending your teams championships window and trading for Bradley Beal!
You took his terrible contract off the Wizards books and gave up picks to do it! Now the Wizards can freely tank for top 5 talent. Enjoy the play-in Mr. Ishbia!
— wonzo🧀 (@WonzoTV) February 19, 2026
Longtime NBA pundit Tom Haberstroh ultimately summed up the discourse by highlighting that not even the owners are completely aligned on what to do about tanking.
Sooo I take it you don’t agree with @mcuban that the NBA should embrace tanking …
— Tom Haberstroh (@tomhaberstroh) February 19, 2026
“Sooo I take it you don’t agree with @mcuban that the NBA should embrace tanking,” Haberstroh responded to Ishbia, referring to Mark Cuban’s comments that the league shouldn’t punish this strategy.
Sooo I take it you don’t agree with @mcuban that the NBA should embrace tanking …
— Tom Haberstroh (@tomhaberstroh) February 19, 2026
Overall, Ishbia’s statement underscores ongoing tensions between competitiveness and rebuilding strategies in the NBA. As of today, the league’s tanking debate is still unresolved.
