NBA Looks at Lottery Changes as Tanking Debate Reignites; Post-Break Power Rankings, Hayes-Davis Move, Gasol’s European Project
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NEW YORK — In the wake of intensified scrutiny over tanking, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver used All-Star Weekend to signal that draft reform is on the table, including the possibility of stripping draft picks from teams that intentionally lose, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
Marks said the league is “looking at this lottery system” and searching for ways to “not incentivize teams to lose to gain advantage in the draft.”
Tighter odds after 27 wins?
Veteran reporter Marc Stein proposed a fresh model in his latest newsletter: teams would not receive the highest lottery odds unless they reached at least 27 victories, roughly one-third of the 82-game schedule. Clubs falling short of that threshold would have reduced chances at a top-four selection. Stein cautioned the league to avoid an overreaction to what he called a “generational” draft year that has magnified one season’s race to the bottom.
The Athletic’s new power rankings
Law Murray of The Athletic released his first post-All-Star power rankings, dividing the league into five tiers:
Top Contenders: Pistons, Spurs, Thunder, Knicks, Celtics
In a Good Place: Cavaliers, Nuggets, Rockets
The Bubble / Not the Tier to Fear / Basement Floor: Five teams landed in the bottom group, with the Wizards at No. 29 and the Kings at No. 30. Murray labeled Sacramento “a true factory of sadness.”
Hayes-Davis chooses Panathinaikos
Forward Nigel Hayes-Davis confirmed he is leaving the NBA to sign with Greek powerhouse Panathinaikos through 2028. He acknowledged that returning to former club Fenerbahce Beko was an option but said, “It just felt like that chapter was closed and that I had given my all.”
Pau Gasol’s evolving role in Europe
Six-time All-Star Pau Gasol said he is working with the NBA, FIBA and various European teams to help shape basketball’s growth on the continent, though his exact duties remain undefined. “We need to build everything from scratch,” the two-time NBA champion noted, adding that the goal is to enhance the sport “both as an experience and as a show.”
The league’s next steps on draft reform, along with shifting team fortunes and player moves abroad, continue to shape the global basketball landscape.
Source: HoopsRumors
