NBA Investigates Mavericks for Tanking Tactics

The NBA is investigating the Dallas Mavericks after they rested most of their rotation players in their recent game against the Chicago Bulls. The decision to rest players like Irving, Kleber, and Hardaway Jr. could easily be attributed to legitimate injury recovery, but including Green and Wood alongside the early exit for Doncic removed any semblance of illusion as to the intent of this decision. The Mavericks were pragmatic and responded to their plight based on the incentive structure that the NBA has created. The investigation is driven by optics, as teams have been making decisions with an eye to the future for years.