Adam Silver unveils 3-2-1 NBA draft lottery system
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 9
Adam Silver unveils 3-2-1 NBA draft lottery system
9 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 9
The proposal, announced before Sunday's annual draft lottery, would expand the pool of eligible teams and flatten odds for the No. 1 pick.
Silver aims to curb tanking, where teams lose deliberately to improve draft position, but the opinion article argues the reform still rewards losing and leaves the core incentive intact.
The NBA has long faced criticism over tanking, including fines for Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban in 2018 and 2023 over comments and player-resting linked to league policy.
If this reform fails, is abolishing the draft the only real solution to the NBA's tanking problem?
Does the NBA's new lottery plan simply create a new, more strategic way for teams to lose?