The NBA Board of Governors has instituted new anti-tanking measures.
The body voted in favor of enacting the new 3-2-1 rule, which will completely change the NBA draft lottery, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The biggest draw of the new system is that the three worst teams in the NBA will now enter the “Relegation Zone.” This zone has lower odds of obtaining the No. 1 overall pick. The change will also expand the lottery to 16 teams and flatten odds.
This new system will take place starting with the 2027 lottery.
There could also be punishments for teams that are deemed to still be intentionally tanking. Punishments could range from reduced lottery odds to even draft-position moves.
Before voting commenced on Thursday, it was believed that these rules would pass, as a majority of teams supported the proposed changes.
The new system gives all 16 teams a chance to win the first overall pick. Each team will be assigned lottery balls. The three worst teams will receive two balls, but there is no way they will fall past the 12th pick.
The next seven teams that missed the playoffs will receive three lottery balls. The four teams that received the Nos. 9 and 10 seeds in the play-in games will receive two lottery balls.
Lastly, the two teams that lose in the No. 7-8 play-in games will get one lottery ball.
The 3-2-1 rule would be used until 2029. When that year rolls around, the board of governors will assess if the new rules have worked and decide either to continue with the system or make changes.
Commissioner Adam Silver has wanted changes to the way the lottery works since at least March, as he discussed them with the board at a meeting.
During a press conference that month, Silver acknowledged the issue of tanking in the sport.
“We are going to fix it,” Silver said. “Full stop.”
The issue of tanking was the reason the lottery was created in the first place, back in 1985. But recently, teams have begun to try to game the system.
The NBA fined the Jazz $500,000 for pulling their starters in the fourth quarter during two regular season road games.
In 2023, the Mavericks were fined $750,000 for “conduct detrimental to the league” after sitting key players in an attempt to protect their first-round draft pick.
