NBA looking into Kings following late decision raises concerns of tanking

NBA Investigating Kings’ Unusual Strategy Amid Tanking Concerns

The Sacramento Kings find themselves under scrutiny as the NBA investigates a puzzling decision amid ongoing efforts to curb tanking.

According to reports from ESPN, the league is examining a curious foul committed by head coach Doug Christie during a game against the Warriors on Tuesday. At a crucial moment, with his team down by one point and just over three minutes remaining, Christie called for Doug McDermott to intentionally foul Seth Curry, sending the Warriors guard to the free-throw line.

Curtis’s call left many perplexed, particularly as the Kings, currently at 21-59, are one of the league’s least performing teams this season, nearing a bottom-five finish.

Officials mentioned to ESPN that they felt Christie’s choice was misguided. They argued Christie should have been penalized for wanting a timeout before the three-minute mark hit.

Ultimately, the Kings lost the game 110-105, attracting criticism from various quarters, including Golden State’s Draymond Green. “I saw a team foul Seth Curry for no reason with three minutes left. It’s just wrong,” Green remarked post-game. “If you do something wrong, you get fined. We love taking money from players.”

Despite trailing by 13 points at one stage in the third quarter, Christie’s decision seemed pivotal when the Kings were within a point at 101-100. Curry converted one free throw, and McDermott followed up with a three-pointer, giving the Warriors a three-point edge. This, of course, shifted the momentum in favor of Golden State.

Last month, Christie commented, “Tanking is the last thing you want to do,” following a win over the Jazz. However, the current situation is raising eyebrows.

ESPN also reported that the NBA has put forward three proposals aimed at tackling the tanking issue, with a vote scheduled for May 28. Among these, the most promising suggests a lottery system involving 18 teams, including the bottom ten and eight from the play-in tournament. This proposal would grant the bottom ten an 8% chance of improving their draft position, while the remaining 20% would go to the competing teams.