NBA Unveils New Draft Lottery Concepts Amid Tanking Debate

Commissioner Adam Silver declared on Wednesday that the league would "fix" tanking, following a lifetime ban of an owner. The announcement came two months into his tenure and was followed by a leak of several draft lottery concepts aimed at reducing teams’ incentives to lose.

The concepts—flattening odds, expanding the number of picks, widening the pool, adopting a two‑year record average, instituting a win floor, a tiered 5‑by‑5 draw, and a pre‑lotto floor assignment—have been met with confusion and skepticism, as critics argue they do not address the root problem.