He commissioner of the National Basketball Association (NBA), Adam Silverinformed the 30 general managers that the league plans to implement regulatory modifications with the objective of reducing the “tanking“, a practice that consists of deliberately losing matches to improve one’s position in the draft. The information was revealed by journalist Shams Charania.
New draft rules to curb tanking
As discussed in competition committee meetings and a recent meeting with GMs, the league is evaluating multiple measures that could significantly change the current draft system.
Among the proposals that are on the table are:
- Limit first-round pick protections to only the top-4 or expanded top-14.
- Freeze lottery odds from the close of the transfer market or at a later date.
- Flatten the odds for all lottery teams.
- Adjust draft options taking into account the accumulated performance of the last two years.
- Expand the lottery to include all play-in teams and not just a portion of them.
The league also analyzed preventing a franchise from selecting within the top-4 in consecutive years and restricting teams that have reached the Conference Finals from accessing those top positions in the following Draft.
Inspiration in the WNBA model
One of the examples considered by the NBA comes from the Women’s National Basketball Association, which already calculates draft odds based on the cumulative performance of two regular seasons. This model seeks to prevent a single negative year from determining excessive advantages in the lottery.
Adam Silver and the fight against tanking
During the All-Star Weekend, Silver announced that the league was studying various alternatives to preserve competitiveness and avoid strategies that harm the spectacle. Concern has increased following several recent cases involving the player participation policy.
In recent weeks, teams such as the Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers have received significant fines for violating player usage rules, intensifying the debate over competitive integrity.
A change that could redefine the future of the Draft
If the amendments are approved, the NBA could transform the way franchises plan their rebuilds. The main goal would be to balance access to young talent without incentivizing seasons designed to lose.
Discussions continue and the league is expected to advance concrete proposals before the start of the next campaign.
