During All-Star Weekend, NBA commissioner Adam Silver acknowledged mounting concerns about teams intentionally losing games and said the league is exploring stronger deterrents to curb the practice.
Silver told reporters in Salt Lake City that “everything is on the table,” including another review of the draft lottery system that now awards the 14 non-playoff teams. Despite previous efforts to flatten lottery odds, league officials believe additional measures may be needed as roughly 10 franchises are perceived to be angling for better draft positioning this season.
Potential sanctions under discussion
Multiple league sources told ESPN that stiffer financial penalties and the possibility of stripping draft picks are being considered for clubs that cross a clear line into blatant tanking. One high-ranking official said a direct hit to a team’s revenue share could prove the most effective deterrent: “You hurt them in the pocketbook.”
Other ideas remain preliminary. Officials have talked about locking in lottery odds earlier in the schedule instead of after all 82 games, a move that could diminish late-season incentives to lose. However, proposals such as eliminating the draft, allowing prospects to pick their own teams, or staging a lottery tournament for non-playoff clubs have not gained traction and would require collective bargaining, making near-term adoption unlikely.
The league views tanking as a threat to competitive integrity. While this season’s combination of protected picks and an anticipated talent-rich draft class has intensified the issue, Silver indicated that the NBA cannot allow intentional losing to become a routine strategy.
Source: Hoops Wire
