Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia has launched a scathing attack on NBA tanking, calling it "losing behavior done by losers" and "much worse than any prop bet scandal." The billionaire owner's comments come amid growing concerns about teams deliberately losing games to improve their draft lottery positions.

Ishbia's remarks follow commissioner Adam Silver's acknowledgment that tanking has been "worse this year than we've seen in recent memory." Multiple teams received fines before the All-Star break for sitting healthy players, with Silver indicating the league is considering draft pick penalties as a deterrent. The Suns owner emphasized that "purposely shutting down players and purposely losing games is a disgrace" that impacts the league's integrity.

Unlike many franchises, Phoenix cannot benefit from tanking strategies due to trades made since Ishbia acquired the team in 2023. The Suns won't control their own first-round pick until 2032. Ishbia expressed "complete confidence" that Silver will find solutions to the problem and called on NBA power brokers to speak out against the practice. "This is throwing games strategically," he wrote. "Horrible for fans that pay to watch and cheer on their team."