Overview
- The league, which presented the ideas Wednesday in New York, outlined three lottery overhauls that add play‑in teams and could include first‑round playoff losers.
- One option forms an 18‑team lottery with equal 8% odds for the 10 worst teams, with the eight play‑in teams splitting the remaining odds and every slot drawn.
- A second builds a 22‑team pool ranked by two‑year records with a minimum win floor and only the top four picks drawn.
- A third creates an 18‑team “5 by 5” format that gives the five worst teams equal odds for the top five picks and guarantees them no worse than 10th.
- Owners will vet tweaks with team leadership before a special May vote, as Adam Silver targeted changes for 2026‑27 and pointed to recent fines of the Jazz ($500,000) and Pacers ($100,000) for overt tanking behavior.