NBA Governors Poised to Approve 3-2-1 Draft Lottery Overhaul Despite Internal Dissent
nba-governors-poised-to-approve-3-2-1-draft-lottery-overhaul
New York, May — The NBA’s Board of Governors is expected to endorse the “3-2-1” draft-lottery overhaul later this month, league sources told The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Mike Vorkunov during the draft combine.
Under the proposal, the current 14-team lottery would expand to 16 clubs, and 37 ping-pong balls would be drawn to settle the first 16 selections. The three worst teams would enter a relegation tier, receiving two balls instead of three and sharing identical odds for the No. 1 pick with the play-in tournament’s ninth- and 10th-place finishers. Those bottom three teams would be guaranteed to pick no lower than 12th, although governors are still debating whether to raise that floor.
Several front-office executives interviewed at the combine labeled the change an overreaction to a particularly deep draft class. They warned that stripping the incentive to tank from every club would leave the league’s weakest teams “penalized” and potentially stuck at the bottom for longer.
“Teams that aren’t trying to tank will then get penalized,” one staffer said. Another assistant general manager added, “They’re hell-bent on doing this,” reflecting widespread belief that approval is inevitable. The measure needs support from at least 23 of the 30 governors and would take effect with next year’s draft.
Key elements of the plan
- Worst three records: two balls each; cannot fall past 12th pick.
- Next seven teams in the standings: three balls each.
- Ninth and 10th seeds in the play-in: two balls each.
- Losers of the 7-8 play-in game: one ball each.
- Top overall odds drop to 8.1%, down from the current 14%.
Executives foresee several ripple effects: flatter odds could inflate the value of every top-16 pick, complicating future trades and limiting rebuilding strategies. Some are also frustrated that the rule would immediately impact first-round picks already moved in prior deals.
While critics argue recent fines—such as February’s penalties against the Jazz and Pacers—already discourage tanking, the new framework would expand Commissioner Adam Silver’s authority. General managers were told Silver could lower a team’s lottery odds or alter its draft position if he determines a blatant tanking violation.
League officials anticipate the revised lottery will debut at next year’s drawing, which could be televised live rather than revealed through sealed envelopes.
Source: Hoops Rumors
