NBA Spares Bub Carrington Despite Confirming Wizards Tanked for AJ Dybantsa
Washington Wizards could get away with tanking allegations despite Bub Carrington’s controversial comments.
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Bub Carrington and AJ Dybantsa (Image credits - Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report)
The Washington Wizards have been among the worst-performing teams in the NBA for a while. They have missed the playoffs in seven of their last eight seasons.
The Wizards had the worst record last season, finishing at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings with a 17-65 record. For the third straight season, they recorded fewer than 20 regular-season wins.
With the Wizards looking to turn over a new leaf after some big additions to their roster this year, Bub Carrington may have said something the Wizards would rather keep behind closed doors. He openly admitted the Wizards were held back to land AJ Dybantsa.
Senior sports writer at The Athletic, Sam Amick, reported that the league is not expected to investigate Carrington’s statement.
Per source, the NBA will not discipline Wizards guard Bub Carrington (or the team) for his candid comments about tanking.
Sam Amick on The Athletic
Per source, the NBA will not discipline Wizards guard Bub Carrington (or the team) for his candid comments about tanking.
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) October 2, 2026
More here, with @JoshuaBRobbins, on the quiet part being said out loud, at @TheAthletic https://t.co/Onw6W4cN5q
After a poor 2025-26 campaign, the Washington Wizards have finally made some moves that could see them reach the playoffs next year. They traded for Trae Young before making the big move for Anthony Davis.
They have ambitious plans for the future, including acquiring the two former All-Stars and a top-8 pick this year. To their relief, they landed the number one pick and used it to draft AJ Dybantsa.
However, Bub Carrington’s latest comments on the Wizards tanking caught a lot of attention. He revealed the team asked players to hold back last season, which some interpret as a confession of tanking.
Fans react to NBA not disciplining Washington Wizards after tanking allegations
Bub Carrington’s comments came at a time when the league has been increasingly aggressive about tanking. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver took action and fined the Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers for tanking last season.
So it is not surprising that the recent report that the NBA isn’t investigating the Wizards sparked a lot of reactions across social media.
He told the truth. Hard to imagine a player being told he should keep his mouth. Its is not news that bad teams tanked to get AJ. They are allowed to comment on anything except the truth about the team they play for. Seems hypocritical
— RC-TMF (@trimotionfilms) October 2, 2026
I don’t think they should fine anyone for tanking, they’ve set the playing field for picks and teams (rightfully so) are adapting and choosing what’s best for their organization
— Bob (@BobbyTaylor96) October 2, 2026
HAVING SAID THAT, it’s absolutely insane they fined the pacers when their players were actually hurt
BREAKING NBA Fines UTAH JAZZ for BUB’s comments
— UJ (@Jazztimejones) October 2, 2026
They better refund the Jazz, then
— Eric Walker (@saltyposaune) October 2, 2026
Will they fine the team? Gotta be consistent.
— Name cannot be blank (@_seize_today_) October 2, 2026
Bro can say they tanked and the wizards can tell Trae to sit and promise they’ll still max him and get no investigation but the Bucks get investigated for overpaying a guy, ok
— 🛋 (@TheNotoriousPWB) October 2, 2026
Why were the Pacers fined for tanking then?
— Dingus McConnell (@dingus_primeV2) October 2, 2026
Pacers got fined for not playing a player who was actually injured 💀😂
— Zay (@zayman96_) October 2, 2026
professional sports are becoming so unlikable
Fans called out the NBA for inconsistent investigations into tanking. They fined the Jazz and Pacers for not playing their best players when available but are letting the Wizards get away with it after their own players admitted that they were told to hold back last season.
Michael Porter Jr. and Trae Young admit their teams tanked for AJ Dybantsa
Tanking is generally understood as intentionally sacrificing short-term competitiveness for a better draft position. While the Pacers and Jazz benched their main players and reported them as injured, the Wizards’ situation is different.
Some may argue that there is a difference between benching star players altogether and asking them to throw the game when they’re on the floor. But it is still surprising that the league apparently doesn’t plan to investigate this matter further.
However, Carrington is not the only player to make such comments. Michael Porter Jr. and Trae Young admitted their teams tanked for AJ Dybantsa on a podcast. When Young spoke about joining the Wizards in a losing situation, Porter Jr. said,
We was both tryna get that number one pick.
Michael Porter Jr. on Curious Mike
Michael Porter Jr. and Trae Young admit their teams tanked for AJ Dybantsa
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) September 26, 2026
Trae: “When I got traded obviously I knew we weren’t gonna be in a winning situation”
MPJ: “Yeah… we was both tryna get that number one pick”
(h/t @SleeperWizards) pic.twitter.com/QvOxxcjAru
Like the Wizards, the Brooklyn Nets were one of the worst-performing teams last season. In the end, the Wizards got exactly what they wanted. Meanwhile, things did not go according to plan for the Nets as they ended with the sixth pick.
The NBA has not announced an investigation, and there is no public evidence that one has begun. It remains to be seen whether the Wizards’ plan to land Dybantsa is worth it and whether he can showcase himself as a future franchise superstar.
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Rishan Rai
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