NBA teams on Thursday approved reforms intended to discourage teams from deliberately losing games in order to receive better players in the following season’s draft.
The policy of giving bottom-ranked teams better access to upcoming talent, originally intended to keep the league balanced and competitive, has led to widespread “tanking”, especially in recent seasons.
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Multiple low-ranked teams have benched their best players, even when fit. Some received fines for “management of their rosters,” but NBA commissioner Adam Silver warned that the financial penalties weren’t working and has pushed for more potent changes.
Under the new system, the three very worst teams will now be punished by receiving slightly lower odds of receiving a high pick in the NBA Draft lottery than the teams that finish immediately above them.
Previously, they received the highest odds of picking first. There will also be more teams in the lottery — 16 of the NBA’s 30 teams, rather than 14.
The reforms are “designed to eliminate incentives for teams to prioritise their position in the Draft over winning games,” and “flattens” lottery odds among the teams, said an NBA statement.
The system, which will take effect from the 2027 draft, is known as the “3-2-1” lottery, referring to the number of lottery balls each team receives.
Seven low-ranked teams will receive three balls each, giving them a roughly eight percent chance each of winning the top draft pick.
But the three lowest-ranked teams will receive just two balls, and therefore a 5.4 percent chance — a punishment referred to as being “draft relegated.”
Two balls, or just one ball, will be granted to six teams that squeezed into the previous season’s play-in tournament by finishing between seventh and tenth in their conference.
While the threat of being “draft relegated” will be a bitter pill to swallow for the league’s worst teams, they are afforded a small protection – they are guaranteed to be able to pick no lower than 12th in the draft.
The new rules were reportedly approved by representatives of 29 NBA teams at the league’s board of governors, with only the Memphis Grizzlies voting against.
This year’s NBA Draft begins June 23. The Washington Wizards – who had the worst record in the league this past season – won the lottery and will pick first.