The NBA's Nuclear Option Against Tanking Teams Is About to Pass, and Everything Changes May 28

The NBA just shared the details of its "3-2-1 lottery" reform plan with all 30 general managers, and according to ESPN, this thing is locked and loaded. The owners vote May 28, and barring any last-minute hiccups, this anti-tanking proposal has the votes to pass. The league is done watching teams tank for picks.

How the New Lottery Actually Works

Here's what's changing. The lottery expands from 14 teams to 16 teams, which means more franchises get a shot at the No. 1 overall pick. But here's the kicker: the worst teams in the league no longer get the best odds. That's the entire point.

The three teams with the absolute worst records fall into a "relegation area" and get only two lottery balls. Meanwhile, teams that miss the playoffs and the play-in tournament but avoid that bottom-three death zone (fourth through 10th worst) get three balls each. That's tied for the best odds. The ninth and 10th play-in seeds get two balls, and whoever loses the seventh versus eighth seed play-in game gets one ball. Tanking teams are getting punished. Good teams that just miss out are getting rewarded.

The Real Teeth: Repeat Offenders Can't Win It All

But there's more. No team can land the No. 1 pick in back-to-back years. And no franchise can rack up more than three consecutive top-five picks. The NBA also gave itself the power to straight-up reduce a tanking team's odds or even shuffle their draft position if they're caught red-handed tanking.

This proposal expires after the 2029 draft, right before the current collective bargaining agreement ends. So owners can keep the "3-2-1" system going or switch to something new when that CBA expires. It's a temporary gun to the head that forces the issue in a few years.

Commissioner Adam Silver has been hammering tanking as a problem for months. This is his answer. The vote comes May 28, but expect this to pass.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.