Draymond Green Calls Out the Kings for 'Tanking' Strategy

The Sacramento Kings narrowly lost to the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night, 110-105, but one interesting on-court decision has created a talking point about tanking.

With just over three minutes left in the fourth quarter and the Kings up by one point, Doug Christie signaled to Doug McDermott to intentionally foul Seth Curry, sending him to the free-throw line for two freebies. Winning by one point with three minutes left and intentionally fouling while the other team is in the bonus is unheard of, and Warriors star Draymond Green claims that it was Sacramento's way of tanking.

"I saw a team tonight foul Seth Curry with three minutes to go in the game for no reason. In the penalty. It ain't working," Green said in response to the NBA's play-in tournament and attempt to crack down on tanking.

Long conversation with Draymond Green about the play-in and tanking epidemic

“I saw a team tonight foul Seth Curry with three minutes to go in the game for no reason.”

What should be done? “Keep fining teams.” pic.twitter.com/7vA92BT2ei
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) April 8, 2026

Was this a tanking strategy by the Kings?

Regardless of what fans and players across the league might believe, it has been very clear that this Kings team is not tanking. Of course, it is hard to explain the decision to intentionally foul in that situation against the Warriors, but they immediately retook the lead out of the timeout after. If they were tanking, they would have folded once they faced a 16-point deficit, but they instead nearly pulled off the comeback.

Green went on to say that more teams should be fined for tanking, claiming he believes there are about 12 teams in the league trying to lose games. Well, considering the "tanking" Kings nearly beat the Warriors on Tuesday night, it is an interesting time to say that.

If the Kings have been trying to "tank" this season, they have failed. They held the NBA's worst record, but then went on to win seven of their next 14 games, including road wins over the L.A. Clippers and Toronto Raptors, to slide to fifth place in the draft lottery standings. Realistically, the Kings would have been better off by tanking, but Christie and his players are giving it their all every game.

The Kings were INTENTIONALLY fouling Seth Curry in crunch time to lose the game...

We've NEVER seen this level of tanking 😭 pic.twitter.com/fU9q7d4JEV
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) April 8, 2026

The Kings only had nine players available on Tuesday, with veterans like DeMar DeRozan and Russell Westbrook sidelined due to injury, yet they went into San Francisco and did everything they could to throw punches with Steph Curry and company.

Sure, some teams across the league might be tanking to a degree, but the Kings are not one of them. Many fans have the same opinion as Green, but it is obvious that the Kings are simply not good enough to win most of these games. On Wednesday, the Kings' entire "healthy" starting lineup was inactive. They do not need to try to lose games when their roster and health issues are doing the work for them.

Again, it is hard to say what the strategy was in intentionally fouling Seth Curry while up by one point with three minutes to play, but to say the Kings are obviously tanking because of it would be a stretch.

The Kings and Warriors are set to have a rematch on Friday in Sacramento.