NBA Unveils Draft Lottery Concepts to Stop Tanking

Adam Silver, two months into his tenure, declared the league would fix tanking and even banned an owner for life. The announcement was followed by a leak of draft lottery concepts that have sparked confusion and skepticism among teams and fans.

The concepts include flattening odds from 14% to 8%, expanding the number of top picks, enlarging the pool of eligible teams, averaging records over two years, setting a win floor, a tiered 5‑by‑5 draw, and a pre‑lotto floor randomization. None are final proposals, but they illustrate the league’s willingness to experiment.