NBA Unanimously Decides to End Tanking, Promises Major Draft Changes

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver confirmed on Wednesday that the league's Board of Governors has unanimously agreed to put a definitive end to "tanking"—the practice of intentionally losing games to secure better draft picks. Significant alterations to the draft system are anticipated, with implementation targeted for the 2027 draft.

Silver noted that extensive discussions took place over two days regarding the pervasive issue of tanking. "It seemed unanimous in the room that we needed to make a change and we needed to make a change for next season," Silver stated, indicating the urgency to act.

The problem of tanking is not new, but the current urgency stems from teams' increasingly blatant attempts to prioritize draft positioning over winning. This behavior recently led to substantial fines for the Utah Jazz ($500,000) and the Indiana Pacers ($100,000). However, Silver stressed that fines alone are insufficient to curb the problem, and the league is actively working on more robust solutions to prevent the manipulation of game results.

A special board meeting is scheduled for May to vote on the proposed modifications. Key individuals tasked with developing these solutions include NBA President of League Operations Byron Spruell, Executive Vice President Evan Wasch, Head of NBA Basketball Operations James Jones, all 30 general managers, and the league's competition committee, which comprises select GMs, coaches, and players.

Silver underscored the gravity of the situation, stating, "This is a decision that needs to be made at the ownership level. It has business implications, has basketball implications, has integrity implications for the league. It’s one that we take very seriously. We are going to fix it, full stop." He anticipates that the upcoming changes will be "more extreme" than previous incremental adjustments made to the draft lottery system, such as flattening the odds in 2019.

The commissioner emphasized the importance of preserving the "live, unscripted drama" of professional sports, which is undermined when there's a perception that teams aren't fully committed to winning. While acknowledging that future changes through collective bargaining or other systemic modifications might occur, Silver affirmed that "the incentives will be completely different than they are now" going into next season.

Beyond tanking, the Board of Governors also discussed exploring league expansion, with Seattle and Las Vegas identified as favored markets for potential new teams. This remains a "strategic decision for the league" and is not guaranteed, with possibilities ranging from no expansion to one or two new markets. The finance committee also advanced its vetting process for the imminent sale of the Portland Trail Blazers from the Paul Allen estate to a group led by Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon.