The NBA believes that it has a tanking problem and it's going to try to fix it beginning in 2026-27.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver has informed all 30 teams this week that, beginning in 2026-27, there will be changes coming to prevent tanking.
ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania first reported the news on Thursday afternoon.
"Commissioner Adam Silver informed the league's 30 general managers on Thursday that the NBA plans to make anti-tanking rule changes for next season, sources tell ESPN. Stakeholders have intensified dialogue about combatting tanking," he reported.
The NBA is reportedly considering several different changes to the draft and the lottery moving forward.
Changes coming to prevent NBA tanking
According to Charania's report, the NBA is considering the following changes:
- First-round picks can be protected only top-4 or top-14+
- Lottery odds freeze at the trade deadline or a later date
- No longer allowing a team to pick top 4 in consecutive years and/or after consecutive bottom-3 finishes
- Teams can’t pick top-4 the year after making conference finals
- Lottery odds allocated based on two-year records
- Lottery extended to include all play-in teams
- Flatten odds for all lottery teams
What should the NBA do to halt tanking?