Kendrick Perkins has escalated the tanking debate, arguing the NBA's recent fines against the Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers do not go nearly far enough.
With the league already handing down financial penalties, Perkins believes Adam Silver missed an opportunity to send a much stronger message.
Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images
Reacting in comments shared by ESPN NBA , Perkins called out what he sees as deliberate attempts to lose games.
"I wish Adam Silver would have fined them $5 million for disrespecting the game of basketball. Let's stop being nice about it and throwing out the word tanking.
"No, it's actually throwing games. You're trying to throw games to lose games," Perkins said.
The NBA had already fined the Jazz $500,000 and the Pacers $100,000 for conduct tied to competitive integrity concerns. Perkins' issue is not just with the dollar amount. It is with the message.
By framing the situation as "throwing games," he shifted the language from strategic rebuilding to outright disrespect. In his view, smaller fines risk normalizing behavior that undermines competitive credibility.
Perkins doubled down on his stance, arguing that tanking carries cultural consequences inside locker rooms.
"In one of the best sports in the world, in a competitive sport, you're teaching to try to lose games. That's what you're trying to do.
"I totally disagree with whatever front office expert you wanna talk to… there's not a generational talent in this draft. Are there some good franchise guys? Absolutely," Perkins stated.
The argument cuts at the heart of the tanking philosophy. Front offices often justify short-term losses as long-term investments. Perkins rejects that logic, especially in a draft class he does not consider transformational.
If no once-in-a-generation prospect awaits, he questions why organizations would compromise culture and competitiveness.
The debate exposes a long-standing tension in the NBA. Team building strategy collides with the expectation that every game should matter.
For Perkins, the solution is simple. Make the financial punishment severe enough that no franchise considers losing on purpose. Whether Adam Silver agrees may shape how aggressively the league polices tanking moving forward.
Read more:
