NBA Considers Radical Changes to Draft and Lottery System

Commissioner Adam Silver signals league is open to overhauling draft process to address tanking concerns

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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The NBA is exploring major changes to its draft and lottery system, including potentially eliminating the draft altogether, in an effort to address the growing problem of tanking by teams trying to secure high draft picks. Commissioner Adam Silver acknowledged that the league is looking at "every possible remedy" to stop teams from intentionally losing games to improve their lottery odds.

Why it matters

The draft and lottery system has long been criticized as enabling tanking, with teams prioritizing securing high draft picks over actually trying to win games. This has led to a significant portion of the league not being competitive for large stretches of the season, which is detrimental to the overall health and entertainment value of the NBA.

The details

Silver indicated the league is considering radical solutions, including potentially eliminating the draft entirely and allowing players to choose which teams they want to join. This would remove the incentive for teams to tank, as they would no longer be guaranteed a top draft pick for finishing with a poor record. However, such a move would also represent a major shift in the NBA's player acquisition model and could face significant pushback from owners and teams.

  • On February 16, 2026, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver addressed the issue of tanking during his news conference.
  • Last week, the NBA fined the Utah Jazz $500,000 and the Indiana Pacers $100,000 for decisions related to holding out healthy players.

The players

Adam Silver

The commissioner of the National Basketball Association who has acknowledged the league is exploring major changes to address tanking.

Luka Dončić

The star player for the Dallas Mavericks who was controversially traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, highlighting the impact the draft and lottery system can have on teams.

Cooper Flagg

A highly touted prospect who was awarded to the Mavericks through the draft lottery, despite the team having just reached the NBA Finals the prior season.

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What they’re saying

“There is talk about every possible remedy now to stop this behavior.”

— Adam Silver, NBA Commissioner (nytimes.com)

“My sense is, talking to GMs and coaches around the league, that there's probably even more parity than is reflected in our records. That goes to the incentive issue. It's not clear to me, for example, that the 30th-performing team is that much measurably worse than the 22nd-performing team, particularly if you have incentive to perform poorly to get a better draft pick.”

— Adam Silver, NBA Commissioner (nytimes.com)

What’s next

The NBA is expected to continue discussions about potential changes to the draft and lottery system, with the goal of finding a solution that reduces tanking and promotes more competitive balance across the league.

The takeaway

The NBA's acknowledgment that radical changes to the draft and lottery system may be necessary underscores the growing frustration with tanking and the need to find a more equitable way to distribute top talent across the league. Any reforms would represent a major shift in the NBA's player acquisition model and could face significant resistance, but the league appears committed to exploring all options to address this persistent issue.