Phoenix Suns PROVE Mark Cuban’s Tanking Theory Is Wrong

Did the Phoenix Suns just completely dismantle Mark Cuban’s tanking theory?

After Mark Cuban’s viral tweet about NBA tanking and how rebuilding the “right way” requires bottoming out, the Suns’ last 15 years tell a very different story. From the Steve Nash era fallout… to the rebuild… to the NBA Finals run…  the “Big 3” error with Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal to staying competitive without intentionally tanking — Phoenix may be the ultimate counterargument.

In this episode of Southwest Bias, we break down:

• What Mark Cuban actually said in his tanking tweet
• Why tanking has become the league’s accepted model
• How the Phoenix Suns tanking completely failed
• Why a more “entertaining environment” isn’t what fans want
• The 2021 NBA Finals run and sustained playoff contention
• Why culture and ownership shifts mattered more than draft positioning

The Suns tried to follow the “Process” blueprint and failed. They lived at the bottom of the standings for a decade and lost a generation of fans regardless of arena environment. And yet, they’ve found a way back to relevance in the Western Conference conversation.

So was Cuban wrong about tanking being the only path to success with his Savannah Bananas mindset? Did a decade and a half of Suns ups and downs prove he’s wrong?

If you’re a die-hard Suns fan or love smart NBA debates about rebuilding strategy, this breakdown is for you.

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Phoenix Suns Proved Tanking, not Entertainment Is NBA’s Problem

0:00 Intro

2:00 Mark Cuban on tanking

18:30 Bo and Johnny join the show!

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