Why The Phoenix Suns Should be Tanking

[Zelaznyrules]

I don't think any team asks their players to dog it. If that is the definition if tanking, no one does it. But when you sit your best players or leave them on the injured list I order to not risk their health in a lost season (and improve your draft pick) that's a level of tanking. The Lakers are doing that and u don't blame them. It's not only the smart thing to do, it's the right thing. Vet players are happy because they are not being risked for nothing. Bench players are happy for the opportunity. The team is better off building for the next season.

In war it would be a tactical retreat.

Are they really doing that and if they weren't, would it really make much of a difference? Maybe a better question would be, do you think they'd do it any differently if they didn't have their own pick in next year's draft? I don't think they would. Maybe they could get a hobbled player or two back on the court but it's not likely to change the outcome of very many games (if any) and it might slow their full recovery. Nothing in that falls into the "tanking" bucket IMO. Teams have rested aged and injured players late in the season forever without doing it with an eye to draft position.

[Moochthemonkey]

I don't think any team asks their players to dog it. If that is the definition if tanking, no one does it.

that's precisely the correct definition. IMO,

sitting good players, but still making smart decisions, and players trying their best and not intentionally trying to lose =/= tanking

playing the best players, but making stupid decisions, players not trying hard and just going through the motions can be conceived as tanking.

What does occur is management and players making poor decisions, and really not putting in an effort as the current season may be "worthless". (eg. the Suns hiring Lindsey Hunter) This is could be viewed as tanking or close to it, and perhaps should result in some kind of penalty.

The definition of the word isn't so binary. However, how the roster is constructed and what players receive minutes hardly has to do anything with it.

[Revived]

The Minny pick is gone. There is no point now. The difference between 14 and 20 could be significant but who knows. Seeing what is possible with the guard trio of Bledsoe, Dragic, and Green is more important right now. Btw I think that one if the reasons the bled/Goran duo works is because you also have a 6-8 2 coming off the bench in Green.

I know it is..and I'm not advocating tanking for us.

As for Green, I'm sure his size helps him shoot over defenders easily but I don't think its makes a bigger difference than that.

But I don't think the Lakers were trying to tank. They still don't really appear to be. The Celtics were trying to win too, now I'm not so sure. I don't think those organizations tank often. The Celtics maybe during the Duncan and Durant drafts, but never the Lakers.

Lakers have been trying to tank all season. Shutting down Kobe, giving random rests for Pau and then Farmar and Nash being in and out of the lineup are pretty telling.

As for Celtics, I think the fact that they slowed Rondo's return so much is a pretty telling sign.

Like jcsunsfan said, I don't think they purposely lose games but they haven't been exactly been doing moves to try and win games.