NBA commissioner Adam Silver confirmed the league’s forthcoming "3-2-1" draft lottery reform proposal during an appearance on Stephen A. Smith’s radio show on May 14, 2026. The proposal will be presented to NBA team owners by the end of May for a vote [1].
The reform aims to reduce incentives for intentional losing, known as tanking, by changing the lottery odds. Under the new system, the three worst teams in the league will have lower odds of securing a top draft pick than some teams finishing 4th to 10th—breaking with the traditional format where the worst records had the highest chances [2, 1, 3].
Silver explained the plan would create "a system of flat odds, so that you have no particular incentive to be bad." He also said the league will have "additional authority" to punish teams suspected of tanking by removing lottery balls or altering draft order, not just by levying fines [1].
The changes include a draft relegation mechanism whereby the bottom three teams lose priority in lottery odds, designed to maintain competitive integrity and discourage teams from losing to improve draft standing [2, 1, 3]. Silver remarked in Mandarin, "我們不想看到球隊為了選秀順位而失去求勝心。新制將讓管理層明白，當爛隊不再有特別獎勵，競爭才是唯一的出路," which translates to emphasizing that the league does not want teams to lose their will to win due to draft incentives [2].
The NBA fined the Utah Jazz $500,000 earlier this season for conduct detrimental to the league related to tanking concerns. The judiciary noted similar behavior from teams including the Washington Wizards, Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies, and Chicago Bulls during late 2025-26, which the reform targets [1].
The 3-year trial period for the reform is set to run through the 2029 season, with a sunset clause allowing evaluation and potential adjustments after that time [2, 1, 3]. The league board is expected to vote on the proposal at its session later this month [2, 1, 3].
