NBA to adopt rule changes next season in effort to combat tanking, per report
League Reportedly Set to Overhaul Draft Rules for 2026-27 Season to Crush Tanking
The era of shameless tanking appears to be reaching its expiration date. Following a 2025-26 campaign rife with blatant roster mismanagement and convenient "soreness" epidemics among bottom-dwellers, the NBA is reportedly finalizing a drastic regulatory overhaul. According to a report from ESPN’s Shams Charania, Commissioner Adam Silver informed league general managers on Thursday that significant anti-tanking measures will be implemented beginning with the 2026-27 season.
The move comes on the heels of a contentious All-Star weekend where Silver described the issue as a threat to the league's integrity. The proposed changes are far more aggressive than the 2019 lottery odds flattening. Among the seven concepts discussed, the most radical include calculating lottery odds based on a team’s two-year rolling record rather than a single season, and prohibiting teams from selecting in the top four in consecutive years. This "double-dip" ban would prevent franchises from hoarding elite talent through sustained, multi-year incompetence.
Additional proposals aim to strip away the incentives for late-season collapses. One measure would freeze lottery odds at the trade deadline, rendering post-All-Star losing streaks meaningless for draft positioning. Another would bar teams from acquiring top-four picks the season immediately following a Conference Finals appearance, effectively killing the "quick re-tool" strategy used by contenders. The league is also considering extending lottery eligibility to all Play-In Tournament teams, keeping the postseason race competitive for longer.
The league’s patience evidently wore thin this month. The Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers were recently hit with significant fines for "conduct detrimental to the league" regarding lineup decisions, while the Sacramento Kings raised eyebrows by shutting down stars Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis for the remainder of the season. With Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia publicly calling for "massive changes" and special adviser Mike Krzyzewski urging action, the Board of Governors appears ready to act. If ratified, these rules would force front offices to fundamentally rethink their rebuilding strategies, prioritizing competitive culture over the calculated accumulation of losses.
The era of shameless tanking appears to be reaching its expiration date. Following a 2025-26 campaign rife with blatant roster mismanagement and convenient "soreness" epidemics among bottom-dwellers, the NBA is reportedly finalizing a drastic regulatory overhaul. According to a report from ESPN’s Shams Charania, Commissioner Adam Silver informed league general managers on Thursday that significant anti-tanking measures will be implemented beginning with the 2026-27 season.
The move comes on the heels of a contentious All-Star weekend where Silver described the issue as a threat to the league's integrity. The proposed changes are far more aggressive than the 2019 lottery odds flattening. Among the seven concepts discussed, the most radical include calculating lottery odds based on a team’s two-year rolling record rather than a single season, and prohibiting teams from selecting in the top four in consecutive years. This "double-dip" ban would prevent franchises from hoarding elite talent through sustained, multi-year incompetence.
Additional proposals aim to strip away the incentives for late-season collapses. One measure would freeze lottery odds at the trade deadline, rendering post-All-Star losing streaks meaningless for draft positioning. Another would bar teams from acquiring top-four picks the season immediately following a Conference Finals appearance, effectively killing the "quick re-tool" strategy used by contenders. The league is also considering extending lottery eligibility to all Play-In Tournament teams, keeping the postseason race competitive for longer.
The league’s patience evidently wore thin this month. The Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers were recently hit with significant fines for "conduct detrimental to the league" regarding lineup decisions, while the Sacramento Kings raised eyebrows by shutting down stars Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis for the remainder of the season. With Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia publicly calling for "massive changes" and special adviser Mike Krzyzewski urging action, the Board of Governors appears ready to act. If ratified, these rules would force front offices to fundamentally rethink their rebuilding strategies, prioritizing competitive culture over the calculated accumulation of losses.
