Why The NBA's Tanking Problem Will Hurt the Hawks Chances at a Top Pick

The Pelicans and Bucks are two of the worst teams in the NBA, but unlike other teams in the league, they have no incentive to tank, spelling bad news for the Hawks

Feb 9, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi (21) dunks against Sacramento Kings center Dylan Cardwell (32) during the second half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

One of the biggest stories in the NBA post trade deadline has been the incoming tank jobs by a number of teams around the league. While tanking has been a topic of discussion for a few years now, the amount of tanking that is going on right now is unprecedented.

Most teams that tank for draft position at least have the decency to wait until early-mid March when there are just a few games of the season remaining. Right now, there are nine teams (Kings, Wizards, Pacers, Nets, Jazz, Mavericks, Grizzlies, Bucks, and Bulls) who would rather not win another game this season if they could help it. There is another (the Clippers) who got worse at the deadline and are not going to be the same caliber of team.

One team that I did not name was the Pelicans. New Orleans is not going to have a first round pick in this year's draft thanks to a trade with the Atlanta Hawks. Atlanta has the most favorable of the Pelicans and Bucks picks, while Milwaukee has the least favorable of the two.

Why this is bad for the Hawks

Right now, the Kings, Pacers, Wizards, Pelicans, Nets, and Jazz are all bunched up together, but New Orleans is the only team in this group that has no incentive to tank. Look no further than last night, when they faced a tanking Kings team, but won handily.

The Pelicans are by no means a good team, but they have no reason to lose, have talented players such as Trey Murphy, Zion Williamson, Saddiq Bey, and Herb Jones, not to mention their talented rookies, and a favorable schedule down the stretch. They did not sell at the deadline and can still win games.

It is not unthinkable for the Pelicans to move up into the 7-9 range in the lottery. Not only are those other teams going out of their way to lose, but they won't stop. The Pacers lose their pick if it lands in the 5-9 range, and the Jazz and the Wizards lose their picks if they fall out of the top eight. It is going to be an uncomfortable lottery for those three teams, potentially, especially the Pacers and Jazz.

The Bucks being without Giannis Antetokounmpo is going to help the Hawks, as they are one of the worst rosters in the NBA without him, but if he comes back to try and help them make a push for the play-in tournament, that could spell trouble.

The Hawks still possess the best draft asset of any team in the NBA and still have a good shot of landing a top four pick, but with other teams around them going out of their way to tank as egregiously as possible, it does not look as comfortable as it once did.