NBA Considering New Anti-Tanking Rules: Updates on Draft Picks, Lottery System and League Plans

The NBA is said to be taking a fresh look at how it can discourage teams from intentionally losing games over the course of the season.

Per ESPN insider Shams Charania, league officials outlined a number of concepts during Friday’s board of governors meeting. Those discussions reportedly included adjustments to draft pick protections, possible changes to the draft lottery structure, and additional mechanisms aimed at reducing the incentive to tank.

Sources speaking with ESPN insider Shams Charania say the NBA is actively evaluating rule changes aimed at reducing the incentive for teams to tank during the regular season. The discussions, which took place at a recent board of governors meeting, focused on potential adjustments to how draft pick protections, the draft lottery and other mechanisms operate.

According to the reporting, several ideas were proposed to help combat the trend of deliberate losing:

• One concept would tighten draft pick protections so that they only apply to the top four picks or selections outside of the lottery, eliminating the middle-of-the-order protections that can encourage strategic tanking.

• Another would prevent teams from drafting in the top four in consecutive seasons, a mechanism designed to reduce repeated disadvantage exploitation.

• A third suggestion involved locking lottery positions after March 1, limiting opportunities for roster manipulation late in the schedule.

League sources made it clear that these discussions are not intended to penalize teams undertaking a normal rebuild — where players are developed and played with integrity — but rather to discourage franchises that intentionally weaken lineups late in the season to chase higher draft positions or protect specific pick ranges.

Tanking has become more prominent since the NBA overhauled its draft lottery system in 2019, with the three teams holding the worst records each receiving identical 14 percent odds at the No. 1 overall pick and a 52.1 percent chance of landing a top-four selection. Despite those changes, unexpected lottery outcomes have persisted, including recent No. 1 picks won by teams outside the bottom five, such as the Atlanta Hawks and Dallas Mavericks.

Talk of rules reform comes amid a busy NBA trade landscape in the 2025-26 season. Coby White has been one of the names generating buzz, with the Bulls guard linked to Western Conference contenders as the deadline approaches, and speculation continues to swirl about his future.👉 https://www.lb9.news/post/lb9-nba-25-26-trade-buzz-coby-white-rumored-to-depart-chicago-for-west-contender

Meanwhile, other veteran stars like Anthony Davis have also been at the center of trade conversations, with interest noted from multiple teams exploring roster moves that could reshape playoff paths and competitive balance.👉 https://www.lb9.news/post/lb9-nba-is-anthony-davis-on-the-trade-block-mavs-face-growing-bulls-pistons-interest

The league has previously taken action when teams were seen to manipulate player availability, but the lure of acquiring future stars continues to tempt franchises that fall out of contention. As the NBA works to refine competitive balance, the challenge remains ensuring struggling teams have a fair rebuild path without compromising the integrity of regular-season competition from start to finish.

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