Former Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has sparked controversy by arguing the NBA should embrace tanking as a way to enhance the fan experience. Cuban contends that fans value the shared experience of attending games more than competitive outcomes, challenging the league's stance against teams deliberately losing.

Cuban's comments come amid increased scrutiny of tanking in the NBA, with the league recently fining the Utah Jazz $500,000 and Indiana Pacers $100,000 for sitting healthy players. The Mavericks themselves were fined $600,000 in 2018 after tanking to secure the draft position that eventually led to acquiring Luka Doncic. Cuban argues these fines are counterproductive and that transparency about rebuilding would better serve fans.

Commissioner Adam Silver has acknowledged tanking has been "worse this year than we've seen in recent memory" and is considering "every possible remedy" including taking away draft picks. Cuban counters that tanking creates hope for fans and that the NBA should focus more on making games affordable rather than punishing rebuilding strategies. He maintains that the league is in the business of creating experiences for fans, not just basketball, and that affordability should be prioritized over concerns about competitive integrity.