The NBA's board of governors voted in favor of draft lottery reform and anti-tanking measures that will take effect next season, the league announced Thursday.
The changes will see the lottery expand from 14 to 16 teams, with a new "3-2-1" format meant to discourage intentionally racing to the very bottom of the standings. The league's three worst teams will be placed in a "relegation zone" that gives them only a 5.4% chance to win the lottery, whereas the fourth- through 10th-worst teams that fail to qualify for the play-in tournament will receive three balls each out of 37 (an 8.1% chance).
Though their odds have decreased, the three worst teams will be given a floor that guarantees a top-12 pick, while the remaining lottery teams could land anywhere in the top-16.
| Standing | Balls (No. 1 odds) | Range |
|---|---|---|
| 27th-21st | 3 (8.1%) | 1-16 |
| 30th-28th | 2 (5.4%) | 1-12 |
| 9th-10th Play-in teams | 2 (5.4%) | 1-16 |
| 7 vs. 8 Play-in losers | 1 (2.7%) | 1-16 |
In addition, NBA teams will be prohibited from winning the No. 1 overall selection in consecutive years and from earning top-five picks in three straight seasons. However, these restrictions only apply to the pick originally owned by the clubs in question. For example, after winning the No. 1 pick in 2026, the Washington Wizards' 2027 pick is ineligible to be slotted first overall. If the Wizards trade the pick, it would remain ineligible. But if Washington owned another team's 2027 first-rounder, that pick would still be eligible for first overall, meaning teams could still land consecutive top picks and/or three straight top-five selections depending on the circumstance.
Another new rule will see teams prohibited from protecting traded picks in the 12th-15th range. This change would discourage competitive clubs from tanking into the lottery simply to retain a protected pick.
The second round of the draft will also be overhauled, with the first 16 picks of the second round slotted in reverse order of the lottery results. Therefore, the team that gets the 16th overall pick would also get the 31st selection, while the team that wins the first overall pick would be slotted 46th.
As part of the changes, commissioner Adam Silver will have more power to punish tanking teams. These punishments could include fines reportedly up to $10 million. The NBA will also have the ability to reduce teams' lottery odds and modify their draft position. In February, the NBA fined the Utah Jazz $500,000 and the Indiana Pacers $100,000 for tanking-related conduct detrimental to the league.
Finally, the NBA is expected to begin broadcasting the lottery itself, according to ESPN's Tim Bontemps. Under the previous lottery format, the official drawing took place in front of select league, team, and media representatives who were not allowed electronics or contact with the outside world, with only the unveiling of results later broadcast on television. The drawing would then be available to view online later. As of next year, the drawing itself will reportedly be broadcast in real time.
The new system will be in place for three seasons, after which the board of governors can vote to continue with the 3-2-1 format or transition to a new system. This sunset clause coincides with a mutual 2029 opt-out option in the CBA. The full term of the current collective bargaining agreement runs through 2029-30.
