Utah owner hits back at NBA after being fined $500,000 for tanker

Tanking in the NBA is arguably more prevalent than ever before as teams try to increase their chances of landing the No. 1 pick in what is projected to be an excellent 2026 draft class. Adam Silver seems to be an example of one team in particular. The association fined the Indiana Pacers $100,000, but it dunked by the Utah Jazz with a $500,000 fine for “conduct detrimental to the league.”

Jazz head coach Will Hardy rarely played key members of the team against the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat, so perhaps a strong response was inevitable. He is the owner of the franchise not taking punishment quietlyhowever.

“Agree to disagree…Also, we won a game in Miami and got fined? That makes sense…” Ryan Smith posted on X shortly after the NBA announced the fines. A results-oriented response is sure to draw sneers from around the basketball-watching world. Utah’s win last Monday is more an indictment of the Heat than a testament to its own efforts.

Jazz was on the bench Lauri Markkanen and midseason acquisition Jaren Jackson Jr. for the entire fourth quarter, clearly communicating their intentions to lose the contest. However, the organizational philosophy is not always resistant to the players. Those on the floor have worked hard for V, but the management plan is undeniable. Smith knows that a narrow win doesn’t completely erase an obvious tanking attempt. However, he still has gripes with the NBA. It’s just not the one he claims in his quoted tweet.

Is the NBA encroaching on jazz?

The Washington Wizards and Sacramento Kings engage in similar tactics, but Silver has yet to punish them this season. Messages must be consistent. All teams that position themselves for losses should face the consequences.

While this isn’t the first time the Jazz (18-37) have been accused of stalking, they still aren’t the only culprits. The league will jeopardize its credibility if it only disciplines specific cases. Still, Ryan Smith should understand why his team’s approach is drawing the ire of the NBA.

Jaren Jackson Jr surgery at the end of the season to remove pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS) in his knee, so Utah can be ruled out moving forward. Competitiveness will remain a hot topic throughout the rest of the campaign though.