To truly eliminate tanking, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver suggested that the league must remove the incentive for teams to lose games. One radical solution could be to abolish the NBA Draft altogether.
Abolishing NBA Draft to Combat Tanking
The NBA often sees teams aiming for lower performance to enhance their draft odds rather than striving for competitive play. This makes sense under the current draft system, where teams want higher picks to select better players. Removing the draft would force struggling teams to improve their quality, both on and off the court.
In a 2025 article by Yahoo Sports contributor Kari Anderson, NWSL senior director Carlin Hudson explained that eliminating the draft in their league led to a more player-friendly environment, making clubs more appealing to athletes.
In June 2025, David Aldridge from The Athletic proposed a new system where first-year players are categorized into tiers. According to Aldridge, the NBA already uses tier categorization for incoming players, as front-office executives assess prospects to determine green room invitations.
Aldridge noted, “The league already uses a ‘Top-10 Formula’ to assess the top players based on composite pre-draft rankings, which also helps determine which teams access medical information about prospects.”
Aldridge’s proposal would expand the list of top prospects to include multiple tiers, allowing teams to negotiate and sign players based on their rankings. Under his plan, teams could sign only one Tier 1 player over three years, preventing strong teams from monopolizing top talent.
A challenge with this approach is that many teams have already made trades based on future draft picks. In a scenario where there is no draft, the NBA could let teams trade their rights to sign tiered players, converting previously traded assets into tier signings.
Although the draft is a major event in the NBA offseason, removing it could improve competition during the regular season. Additionally, a live broadcast where rookies announce their signings could attract just as much attention.
Despite ongoing efforts to address tanking, the NBA has not yet proposed a viable solution. Recent discussions among league officials did not include the possibility of eliminating the draft, even as they reviewed multiple other options.
However, it may be time to reconsider. Abolishing the draft could be a significant shift for the league and might be the best path to eliminating tanking in the future.