Adam Silver to present ‘3-2-1’ draft lottery overhaul aimed at discouraging tanking
adam-silver-3-2-1-lottery-overhaul
New York — NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Wednesday that the league will ask team owners later this month to approve a “3-2-1” draft lottery format designed to reduce incentives to lose games intentionally.
Speaking on Stephen A. Smith’s radio show, Silver explained that the proposal flattens the odds for most non-playoff clubs while lowering the chances for the three worst records. “If you’re one of the bottom three teams in the league, you’ll actually have worse odds than teams that are four through ten,” he said, calling the mechanism “draft relegation.”
The plan—already circulated among clubs and expected to pass at the board of governors meeting in late May—would remain in effect through the 2029 draft and then sunset for further review.
Key elements
• Bottom three teams receive the smallest probability of winning the No. 1 pick.
• Teams ranked 4-10 in the standings before the playoffs gain slightly better odds.
• The league office would gain authority to remove lottery balls or alter draft order if a club is deemed to be overtly tanking.
Silver emphasized that financial penalties alone are no longer considered sufficient deterrents. Earlier this season the Utah Jazz were fined $500,000 for “conduct detrimental to the league,” yet still moved up in the lottery along with the Washington Wizards, Memphis Grizzlies and Chicago Bulls.
“Teams have to know it’s not just about paying a fine,” Silver said. “It’ll directly impact their ability to get a top draft pick.”
The commissioner added that the three-year trial will allow the league to analyze team behavior and adjust the system if franchises devise new ways to manipulate outcomes. “Our teams are incredibly innovative and creative at working the system,” he noted.
The board of governors is scheduled to vote on the measure at the end of May.
Source: ESPN.com
