Tanking has long been viewed as a bad look for the NBA, with teams prioritizing lottery odds over winning games. That’s why the NBA will implement anti-tanking measures to keep more teams competitive. For the Lakers, however, tanking has never really been part of the blueprint. The franchise has always been focused on competing, whether through free agency, trades, or star acquisitions. As a result, the NBA’s new anti-tanking rules may not affect the Lakers much at all—and could actually play to many of their strengths.
Hurts Tanking Teams
The NBA’s anti-tanking rules make losing less appealing for teams. Since the lottery odds are now more even, finishing with a bad record no longer guarantees a shot at a top prospect. Losing on purpose just doesn’t pay off like it used to.
This change is important because the Lakers almost never go through long rebuilding phases. While some teams spend years gathering lottery picks, the Lakers usually keep trying to win, even when they’re in transition. By making tanking less attractive, the league takes away a key advantage that rebuilding teams once had.
Benefits Big Markets
If drafting is no longer a sure way to get superstar players, other things start to matter more. Things like market size, brand, lifestyle, endorsement deals, and a history of winning all help attract players. Few teams can match the Lakers in these areas.
Los Angeles has always been seen as one of the top places to play in the NBA. Whether free agents are weighing their choices or stars are thinking about their futures, the Lakers are often in the mix in ways smaller-market teams aren’t. As tanking stops working, these advantages matter even more.
Favors Free Agency and Trades
One of the main reasons the anti-tanking era helps the Lakers is that it makes free agency and trades even more important.
The Lakers have a long history of winning championships by bringing in star players instead of drafting them. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar came to the team through a trade. Shaquille O’Neal signed as a free agent. Pau Gasol was also traded to the Lakers. LeBron James picked Los Angeles in free agency, and both Anthony Davis and Luka Doncic joined the team through major trades.
The Lakers have never built their team by spending years at the bottom of the standings. Instead, they use their brand, resources, and big-market appeal to bring in top players. If the NBA keeps moving away from tanking, it will only highlight the strategies the Lakers have used for years.
Increases the Value of Lakers Draft Picks
One overlooked result of the anti-tanking rules is that certain draft picks are now worth more.
If teams can’t count on tanking to get top prospects, it becomes harder to know where future draft picks will land. This uncertainty can make first-round picks even more valuable in trades. If losing no longer guarantees a top pick, then winning doesn’t necessarily guarantee a bottom pick, either. If the Lakers continue to be successful, that doesn’t automatically take them out of the running for a high draft pick, making their picks even more valuable.
This gives the Lakers more options. They often use draft picks to trade for proven players. As picks become more valuable around the league, the Lakers’ future assets can have even more impact in trade talks.
The Lakers Are Built for the New NBA
The NBA’s anti-tanking movement wasn’t designed to help the Lakers, but it may have that effect anyway.
By making losing less rewarding, the league is putting more focus on star movement, free agency, trades, and team reputation. These are all things the Lakers have always done well.
Other teams might have to change their rebuilding plans, but the Lakers can keep doing what they’ve always done: go after stars, compete for titles, and use their famous brand to stay in the mix for the NBA’s top players.
