NBA Approves New Anti-Tanking Rules, Draft Lottery Changes to Penalize Worst Teams
Bleacher Report • • sports
Key Points:
- The NBA's Board of Governors approved a new "3-2-1" draft lottery system aimed at reducing tanking, with a 29-1 vote; the Memphis Grizzlies were the sole dissenting vote.
- The system expands the lottery from 14 to 16 teams, introduces a relegation zone penalizing the bottom three teams with reduced chances for the No. 1 pick, and flattens the odds among lottery teams.
- The new lottery rules, effective starting with the 2027 NBA draft through at least 2029, prevent any team from winning the No. 1 pick in consecutive years or picking in the top five three years in a row.
- NBA Commissioner Adam Silver gains enhanced authority to penalize teams for tanking, including fines up to $10 million, loss or change of draft picks, and adjustments to draft odds.
- Under the current system, the worst three teams each have a 14% chance at the top pick, but under the new system, these teams receive fewer lottery balls, reducing their odds compared to teams ranked fourth through tenth worst.