The NBA is preparing to address its tanking issue, with potential rule changes expected as soon as next season.
Commissioner Adam Silver mentioned that the league’s tanking situation is at an all-time high, with some team owners referring to tanking teams as “losers.”
Although tanking isn’t a new strategy, some teams are openly trying to finish at the bottom of the standings this season to improve their chances in the NBA Draft lottery.
The league aims to take action soon.
Possible rule changes for next season
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the league has been discussing several proposals to combat tanking.
According to ESPN:
“Multiple sources have shared that these ideas have been considered to reduce tanking:
- First-round draft picks may only be protected for top-four or top-14-plus selections
- Lottery odds could freeze at the trade deadline or another specified date
- Teams might be banned from picking in the top four in consecutive years or after consecutive bottom-three finishes
- No team could pick in the top four the year following a conference finals appearance
- Lottery odds may be based on two-year records
- Lottery could be expanded to include all play-in teams
- Odds for all lottery teams could be flattened
Some suggestions make sense, while others might not work well.
Flattening odds for all lottery teams and using two-year records could backfire. Many teams that tank might plan for multiple seasons of losing, as seen with the Philadelphia 76ers during their “Trust the Process” phase.
This could encourage more teams to tank, especially if they see no significant advantage to having the worst record.
The more practical ideas include preventing teams from picking in the top four in consecutive years and freezing odds at the trade deadline.
Freezing odds at the deadline could hinder teams from making last-minute moves to improve their draft position, like the Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers did this season.
Ultimately, it may require a mix of these rules to effectively reduce tanking. As long as a draft exists, teams will find ways to position themselves for top players, possibly adapting to any new regulations. The lottery was intended as an anti-tanking strategy, but the ongoing discussions indicate it hasn’t worked as planned.