Overview
- The NBA detailed the 3-2-1 draft lottery proposal to general managers Tuesday, setting up a Board of Governors vote on May 28 with reported majority support and room for tweaks.
- The plan expands the lottery to 16 teams and assigns three, two, or one lottery balls by tier, bringing in No. 9 and No. 10 seeds in each conference and the losers of the 7‑vs‑8 play‑in games.
- Teams with the three worst records enter a relegation zone with about 5.4% odds for the top pick and a floor at No. 12, while the other seven non‑playoff teams each hold about 8.1% odds, and all 16 picks would be drawn.
- Guardrails include a ban on back‑to‑back No. 1 picks, a limit on three straight top‑five selections, no trade protections for picks 12–15, expanded power to cut odds or move picks for tanking, and a sunset after the 2029 draft.
- Commissioner Adam Silver says the goal is to make losing “uncomfortable,” though analysts warn flatter odds and tier cliffs could shift incentives and make deep rebuilds harder even as the measure gains momentum.