NBA plans strict anti-tanking rules for next season after Silver warning
The NBA plans to implement strict new anti-tanking regulations for next season after Commissioner Adam Silver delivered a forceful message to general managers on Thursday.
Silver addressed executives from all 30 franchises to outline the league’s determination to safeguard the sport’s integrity.
Discussions regarding potential reforms have intensified recently involving the board of governors and the competition committee.
Radical proposals under consideration
Multiple concepts were discussed during the meeting to curb the trend of teams losing deliberately to improve draft stock.
Sources indicate that the competition committee is evaluating several significant changes to the draft lottery system.
- Freezing lottery odds at the trade deadline rather than the end of the season.
- Preventing teams from picking in the top four in consecutive years.
- Banning top-four picks the year immediately following a conference finals appearance.
- Allocating lottery odds based on records over two seasons.
- Flattening the odds for all lottery teams to reduce the incentive to lose.
The league is also considering restricting protections on traded first-round picks to top-four or top-14 selections only.
Silver demands ‘prompt attack’
The league chief was described as “forceful” in his desire to address a problem that has escalated significantly in recent weeks.
Mike Krzyzewski, the legendary former college coach now acting as senior adviser, urged a “prompt, tasteful attack” on the issue during the meeting.
Those involved were told to be prepared for legislative changes to be enacted in the coming months.
Recent fines and criticism
The crackdown follows comments from Silver at All-Star Weekend where he admitted the issue was “worse this year than we’ve seen in recent memory”.
Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia recently criticised the practice on social media, calling it “much worse than any prop bet scandal”.
Administrative action has already begun regarding player availability.
Last week, the Utah Jazz were fined $500,000 (£395,000) and the Indiana Pacers $100,000 (£79,000) for resting healthy players in moves deemed to compromise the league’s integrity.