The three anti-tanking concepts introduced at last month’s NBA Board of Governors meeting have generated limited enthusiasm, league sources told ESPN’s Anthony Slater.
What the league proposed
Each idea would push the draft lottery to at least 18 teams—one version would include 22—and further reduce the advantage held by the bottom clubs. League officials framed the plans as starting points open to adjustment rather than finished blueprints.
Key obstacles
• Fractured opinions: Executives disagree on how best to curb intentional losing, leaving little consensus.
• Complex rules: Popular suggestions, such as flipping wins into losses for lottery math midway through the season, are considered too hard to explain to casual fans.
Mounting urgency
Despite the lukewarm response, the NBA intends to approve some form of reform this offseason. Slater notes that the average margin of victory this season stands at 13.1 points, on pace for the highest figure in league history, and a record 89 games have ended with 30-point differentials.
Lopsided second half
According to John Hollinger of The Athletic, the nine lottery-bound teams that control their own first-round picks have gone 17-148 against the 20 playoff and play-in clubs since the All-Star break. For comparison, Chicago recorded 18 victories over those same opponents before the end of January.
Creative tanking tactics
Teams have adopted new strategies, such as promoting fringe G League players into major roles. Rookie guard Bez Mbeng, for example, has logged 406 minutes for Utah with a –18.1 net rating after limited action with Sioux Falls. “They’re sitting guys in the fourth, running bad lineups, drawing up plays for bad shots,” a Western Conference general manager told ESPN, adding that pursuing a high pick “is the best strategy to get better.”
Veteran players resent losing minutes to late-season call-ups. “When they’re just bringing in dudes off the street and playing them over you in a contract year, that’ll make anyone mad,” one Western Conference player said.
Voices around the league
Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens backed efforts “to make sure that every night is as competitive as humanly possible,” suggesting a short-term fix could precede a broader overhaul.
Warriors forward Draymond Green urged stiffer financial penalties. Utah and Indiana were fined $500,000 and $100,000, respectively, earlier in the season, but no additional sanctions have followed. “Just fine the hell out of people,” Green said. “We love taking money from players; keep fining the teams.”
The league is expected to revisit the proposals and possible modifications during offseason meetings.
Source: Hoops Rumors
