NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said the league will overhaul its draft incentives after governors spent considerable time on tanking during Wednesday’s Board of Governors meeting in New York City.
With the 2026 NBA Draft projected to feature multiple franchise-level prospects, several organizations have been accused of intentionally losing to improve lottery odds. Silver acknowledged the problem and traced its history, noting the NBA relied on coin tosses in the 1960s and introduced a draft lottery in the 1980s, a system that has been adjusted four times.
Commissioner’s message to fans
“We are going to fix it. Full stop,” Silver declared. “I want to say that directly to our fans.” He added that supporters often pressure middle-of-the-pack teams to lose games in hopes of drafting higher, a dynamic he called “enormous pressure” on franchises. Silver said the league must realign incentives to discourage that approach and pledged, “We will fix them.”
Silver previously revealed the NBA is drafting anti-tanking measures, and his latest comments suggest confidence those proposals will be effective once implemented.
Other topics
The governors also reviewed potential expansion, though no decisions were announced.
Silver praises Luka Doncic
During the same session, Silver lauded Luka Doncic for his strong close to the 2025-26 season with the Los Angeles Lakers and revisited compliments he offered before Opening Night about how the guard managed his trade from the Dallas Mavericks.
No timeline was provided for when new anti-tanking rules might take effect.
Source: LakersNation.com
