NBA considers changes to the draft and lottery to address tanking.

Commissioner Adam Silver said the league is discussing a wide range of measures, including rethinking the draft and lottery, to curb tanking; the NBA recently fined the Utah Jazz $500,000 and the Indiana Pacers $100,000.

The NBA has publicly signaled it will consider a broad set of options to address tanking and related incentives. Commissioner Adam Silver’s remarks, and reporting cited in the piece, put the draft and lottery back on the table as potential subjects for reform. The league recently penalized the Utah Jazz ($500,000) and the Indiana Pacers ($100,000) over decisions tied to player availability. Those actions and a projected strong 2026 draft class have intensified discussion about whether the current system encourages teams to perform poorly for better picks. Key developments: - Commissioner Adam Silver said the league is discussing a wide range of possible remedies to curb tanking, as reported in the article. - The NBA fined the Jazz $500,000 and the Pacers $100,000 for separate decisions related to player availability and game participation. - The article identifies the perceived strength of the 2026 draft class as a major driver for teams seeking better lottery odds. - The piece argues that large franchise valuations mean fines alone may be insufficient to deter teams from pursuing draft positioning. - A more radical idea discussed is eliminating or replacing the draft and lottery to remove incentives to intentionally lose games. Summary: The league’s acknowledgment that “everything” is on the table indicates openness to significant changes in how young players enter the NBA. The article presents arguments that altering or removing the draft and lottery could reduce incentives to tank, while noting there is no consensus on a single fix. Undetermined at this time.