NBA Allegedly Proposed New Anti-Tanking Rules for Team Draft Lottery

The NBA has reportedly informed its 30 general managers about a proposed anti-tanking draft reform called the “3-2-1 lottery,” after the number of lottery balls assigned to each team, which would expand the lottery to include 16 teams.

NBA to Allegedly Implement New Team Lottery System

According to rumors, over the past few weeks, the NBA office has conducted several key meetings with the Board of Governors, the competition committee, and all 30 general managers to refine a single proposal ahead of a final owners’ vote scheduled for May 28. While minor adjustments to the plan may still be made, the core framework is said to have majority support from teams.

Sources also say that all parties involved have spent months developing and evaluating multiple ideas before settling on this 16-team format. Senior NBA officials believe the proposal would help reduce incentives to lose by involving all 16 qualifying teams in the lottery process. It is also expected to promote competitiveness late in the season, as teams near the bottom would try to avoid the lowest tier. Meanwhile, those just above them push to secure better positioning.

Discussions on the new format came after late last year, when the NBA announced it would tighten control over the types of bets that it can offer on its games. The new policy also included an updated Fan Code of Conduct to increase the protection of NBA players, coaches, and other team personnel, as well as measures against tanking.

How Will the New System Work?

Under the system, named “3-2-1 lottery,” the draft lottery pool would be expanded from 14 teams to 16. Teams that miss both the playoffs and the play-in tournament but finish outside the bottom three (positions 4 through 10 in the draft order “relegation zone”) would each receive three lottery balls. 

The three worst teams in the league would receive two lottery balls each, but would be guaranteed no worse than the No. 12 draft pick. Meanwhile, the remaining lottery teams could drop as far as the No. 16 selection. The No. 9 and No. 10 seeds in each conference would each get two lottery balls, while the teams that lose in the 7–8 play-in games would receive one lottery ball apiece.

The proposal also contains a sunset clause, which means the new system would automatically expire after the 2029 draft unless the Board of Governors votes to extend it or replace it. The NBA’s current collective bargaining agreement is set to run through the 2029–30 season. Additionally, the league would gain broader powers to enforce rules against tanking. This includes the ability to adjust lottery odds and/or alter draft positioning for teams that violate the guidelines.

In other NBA news, former star player Gilbert Arenas could spend up to 5 years in prison if he is found guilty of running an illegal poker scheme in California.