NBA proposes three anti‑tanking lottery reforms
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- NBA presented three anti‑tanking concepts to its board of governors on Wednesday in New York, with modifications expected before a formal vote in May.
- NBA's first proposal would include 18 teams—the bottom 10 missing the play‑in and the eight play‑in qualifiers—in the lottery, giving the bottom 10 an equal 8% chance and the play‑in teams the remaining 20% of odds.
- NBA's second proposal expands the lottery to 22 teams by adding the four first‑round playoff losers and ranks teams by a two‑season record with a minimum win floor, mirroring the WNBA’s system.
- NBA's third proposal, a “five‑by‑five” method, uses the same 18 teams but gives the five worst records equal odds for the top five picks, then holds a second lottery for the remaining 13 spots, limiting how far a bad team can fall.
- Adam Silver told a news conference that the league will change the incentive structure for next season, stressing that the decision rests with ownership and that the current system blurs the line between genuine rebuilds and tanking.
- NBA is holding a special board of governors meeting in May, an unusual move underscoring the league’s urgency to address tanking, as regular meetings typically occur in March/April, September/October, and July.
Why it matters: The reforms give playoff and play‑in teams a share of the draft lottery, cutting the exclusive advantage of the bottom‑ranked clubs and limiting how far a losing team can fall. Owners of traditionally low‑performing teams lose a guaranteed path to top picks, while the league gains a more balanced competitive environment.
