The NBA seems to think it’s delivered a knockout blow to tanking.
Commissioner Adam Silver said on Stephen A. Smith’s radio show that the league has finalized a proposal to reshape the draft lottery and plans to present it to the board of governors later this month.
At the center of it is a flatter system.
“What we’ve essentially done… is to create a system of flat odds, so that you have no particular incentive to be bad,” Silver said.
The concept aligns with the “3-2-1” model that has been circulating in recent weeks. Under that framework, teams finishing fourth through 10th would have equal odds at the top pick, while the league’s worst teams could actually see their chances reduced.
Silver even referenced the idea of “draft relegation.”
“If you’re one of the bottom three teams in the league, you’ll actually have worse odds than teams that are four through… the playoffs,” he said. “We’re still playing a little bit with the system.”
The goal is simple. Make losing less rewarding.
This year’s lottery only added fuel to that conversation. The Wizards, Jazz, Grizzlies and Bulls all made late-season moves that were widely viewed as positioning for better draft odds.
Silver also made it clear the league is prepared to go beyond fines if necessary.
“If we do see that type of behavior where there’s a sense that teams aren’t going all out to win, we can actually take away draft lottery balls, we can change the order of the draft,” he said. “Teams have to know it’s not just about paying a financial fine.”
The proposal is expected to be approved, at least in some form, and would be implemented on a trial basis.
“The system… will be in effect for three years,” Silver said. “It will ‘sunset.’ It’ll give us time for additional study… and an opportunity to see how our teams respond.”
History suggests they will adapt.
“The teams are incredibly innovative and creative at coming up with ways to work the system,” Silver said.
The league is about to test whether this version can stay one step ahead.
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