NBA Approves 3-2-1 Lottery Shake-Up Aimed at Ending Tanking
NBA owners voted 29-1 to implement a new 3-2-1 Draft Lottery system that expands the field to 16 teams, flattens odds to reduce the likelihood of a top pick, and rewards teams that win games later in the season while punishing the worst records. The plan features a live televised lottery, revised ball counts (worst three teams get 2 balls, 4–10 get 3, 9–10 get 2, 7/8 losers get 1), a second-round draw reversed from the first, restrictions on consecutive No. 1 picks and top-five picks, a sunset after 2029, and broader powers for commissioner Adam Silver to penalize tanking. Memphis voted no due to a pick-trade rule related to Utah’s pick. While supporters say it curbs tanking, critics raise concerns about effects on traded picks and market dynamics.
