Suns Owner Doesn't Mince Words on NBA Tanking Issue

PHOENIX — You never have to worry about the Phoenix Suns tanking, at least under owner Mat Ishbia.

Ishbia, since arriving just a few years ago, has consistently pushed his chips to the middle of the table in terms of competing every season.

Some other owners in the league can't say the same, and the issue of purposefully losing in order to gain better draft position has been a heavily debated problem within the NBA realm — so much so that the league has imposed new anti-tanking rules.

Ishbia, asked about it during the Suns' end of season press conference, didn't mince words on his stance regarding tanking.

"So I'm a big fan of the NBA, obviously, and I'm an advocate to making this the greatest game in the world, which I believe it is. And so when I've talked about tanking, I said what I said on my tweet, which was what I believe, which is that's loser mentality. I don't believe in tanking," Ishbia said.

"I don't believe in purposely [losing], I want to win everything I do. If me and you play checkers next week. I want to beat you. We'll play ping pong. I will beat you. Like I'm going to win. And to go out there and not try to win is anti-me, which is makes it anti-Phoenix Suns. It's not right for the NBA either. And so Adam Silver is a great leader. He understands it. He's going to fix it. And people purposely losing or not putting their best foot forward is not right, and that will change.

"Will change perfectly? No, it's hard. The incentives have to be aligned. And so the nice part about the other NBA owners, to give them credit, is they all understand it's an issue, and they all are open to changing it. How we change it, how it ends up, how it doesn't work [remain to be seen] but you're never going to see that in Phoenix. We're going to try to compete and be the best we can be every day, and sometimes we'll be great, and sometimes we won't be as great, but we're going to always try to be the best, and that's what I'm about, and that's what we're about here in Phoenix is competing, trying to win, and I hope the whole NBA follows that lead, and they will.

"And I'm okay being an outspoken person and a leader in that and anything tied to the NBA, because I love the NBA. I love basketball, and I'm supportive of everything to make this the greatest game in the world."

Trying to curb the tanking mentality from lower teams will always be an issue for a league that uses a lottery system. There's hope Phoenix doesn't find themselves in said position for some time.

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