The NBA’s margin for error has collapsed. Night after night, competitive games dissolve late because winning no longer feels like the priority. For players on the floor, the shift is obvious. For fans watching, it’s impossible to ignore.

That tension finally boiled over on Tuesday night when Draymond Green sounded off on his podcast, The Draymond Green Show. Speaking about what he sees as rampant tanking across the league, the Golden State Warriors veteran didn’t soften his message. “The tank jobs that’s going on in the NBA, it’s unbelievable. You look at these teams, and it’s so nasty. Like, it is disgusting what’s going on with these teams.”

Green’s frustration wasn’t abstract. He pointed to specific, recent examples that, in his view, crossed the line from rebuilding into intentionally avoiding wins.

Green first zeroed in on the Memphis Grizzlies, a franchise that has fully pivoted toward the future after dealing away key cornerstones earlier this season. “Memphis, it’s obvious they’re tanking,” Green said, citing late-game decisions that raised eyebrows around the league.

One moment stood out to him in particular: a game where Memphis began to rally, only for productive players to remain glued to the bench during the final stretch. “The comeback starts happening, you’re like, ‘Man, they’re going to bring Ty Jerome back.’ But they don’t bring Ty Jerome back.”

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To Green, that wasn’t development or caution. It was a clear signal that the result no longer mattered. His criticism didn’t stop there. The veteran forward then turned his attention to the Utah Jazz, describing a pattern that has become impossible to miss. “Maybe two games in a row now they have not played Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., Jusuf Nurkić in the fourth quarter.”

In those games, Green noted, the context made the decision louder than the box score. Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. were rolling through three quarters, piling up points and keeping games competitive. Still, when the outcome hung in the balance, they never returned. For Green, the message was unmistakable. Teams weren’t protecting players. They were protecting draft position.

The ongoing tanking upsets Draymond Green

The NBA has lived through rebuilds before. Fans remember “The Process” in Philadelphia and Oklahoma City’s patient teardown. Green does too. But he believes what’s happening now is different.

According to him, today’s tanking bleeds directly onto the floor and disrupts how the game is played. “I just think it’s terrible for the league, the tanking that’s going on. For players, it’s like you’re playing against all these teams that’s tanking. That’s no fun.”

That frustration extends beyond effort. Green explained that basketball instincts break down when opponents aren’t trying to win. “You go into these games and stuff that’s supposed to be open isn’t open because these guys don’t know where they should be because these guys are trying to lose. It is disgusting, and it’s just terrible for the NBA.”

Green also referenced teams like the Chicago Bulls, which he believes have quietly shifted priorities this season, further reinforcing his belief that the issue is widespread.

At the center of Green’s criticism is a simple concern: tanking is no longer subtle. Late-game rotations, healthy scratches, and sudden caution have turned into signals everyone can read. For the league, that creates a credibility problem. For players, it drains the competitive edge that defines the NBA. And for fans, it chips away at trust.

Draymond Green isn’t calling for patience or understanding. He’s calling for accountability. Whether the league responds or not, one thing is clear. The conversation around tanking is no longer happening in whispers. It’s being called out, loudly, by the players still trying to win.