NBA Trade Deadline 2012: GSW, Portland & Denver Show Us How to Tank Deadline

The NBA trade deadline has come and gone amid a wild flurry of loose talk and sweeping deals. But my fixation is less on which teams were helped and more on how teams willingly hurt themselves. Today was a race to the bottom in a league that gives high-value draft picks to the losingest losers. 

The Warriors gave away Monta Ellis and Ekpe Udoh, perhaps to nab a top-seven protected pick that would otherwise go to Utah. The move was understandable, as the Warriors got the currently (perpetually) injured Andrew Bogut. A possible tank attempt, but not an egregious one. 

Then, the Blazers intentionally parted with much quality, Stalingrad-uating to a level of tanking we may never see surpassed. Gerald Wallace was moved in exchange for a high draft pick.

Soon after, Portland dumped Marcus Camby for superstars like Hasheem Thabeet and Jonny Flynn. In the coup de grace, they fired coach Nate McMillan. Check that, the coup de grace in this jaunt toward wretched was actually that they kept Ray Felton. 

Not to be outdone, the Nuggets delivered a wholly unexpected roster-grounding when they traded Nene (whom they had just signed to a max deal) in exchange for the confounding JaVale McGee and Ronny Turiaf.

You got it, Denver is intentionally moving backwards with someone who does so unintentionally. McGee obviously has talent, but he is a project, and this particular decision betrays any pretense that the Nuggets are trying to win this year. 

And you know what? I like all these tank-happy decisions. All of them. The NBA incentivizes badness, and you might as well shoot for destitute if a title is not in reach.

It's on pro basketball to change their draft structure (I've long believed that every lotto team should get an equal shot at top picks and today further fuels that opinion). For now, GMs are merely being wise in the worst way possible.