04-28-2026, 07:38 PM
(04-28-2026, 04:57 PM)Smitty Wrote: The NBA has disclosed to its 30 GMs a singular new anti-tanking reform that expands the draft lottery to 16 teams, flattens odds, and have a relegation zone where the bottom 3 teams are penalized with fewer lottery balls for the No. 1 pick.
ESPN details:
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/4861...rer=scribe
NBA Proposes New Lottery System to Crack Down on Tanking:
• Lottery expands from 14 → 16 teams
Relegation zone (bottom 3 teams) gets fewer odds for No. 1 pick
• Teams outside bottom 3 get better lottery odds (3 balls vs 2)
• Play-in teams also receive lottery balls (varies by seed)
• No team can win No. 1 pick in back-to-back years
• No team can get 3 straight top-5 picks
Picks 12–15 can no longer be protected
• NBA can punish tanking by reducing odds or moving picks
• System would run through 2029 (trial period)
(Via @ShamsCharania )
One of the main unintended consequence of this structure is bubble teams may prefer making the play-in rather than simply qualifying, because it gives them a chance a the lottery pick.

