Overview
- The proposed '3-2-1' system would widen the draft lottery to 16 teams and give clubs three, two, or one ping‑pong balls based on record and play‑in results.
- The three worst records would enter a 'relegation zone,' a penalty tier with two balls and a 5.4% chance each at No. 1, with protection from falling past the 12th pick.
- Guardrails in the framework would bar back‑to‑back No. 1 picks and three straight top‑five selections, and the drawing would set all top‑16 slots rather than only the top four.
- League reporting says the plan has majority backing, with a Board of Governors vote set for May 28, a possible start with the 2027 draft, and a sunset review after 2029.
- Reactions split as Mark Cuban predicts a surge in trades under flatter odds, while executives warn the worst teams face too harsh a drop and analysts flag new incentives to lose play‑in games, raising the prospect of tweaks before approval.