NBA stars on bad teams are sick of losing, and the new draft lottery system doesn’t help. Before the 2026-27 NBA season, commissioner Adam Silver pushed for a new draft lottery system to prevent widespread tanking, and the changes are now in effect.
Background And History
The NBA draft lottery started in 1985 to determine the draft order for teams that missed the previous year’s playoffs. The system has undergone several changes since its introduction, including a coin flip system from 1966 to 1984 and an early lottery system from 1985 to 1989. The current system, introduced in 2026, is designed to discourage tanking by changing the odds for the worst teams.
How The New System Works
Under the new 3-2-1 lottery system, the three teams with the worst records receive two lottery balls and cannot receive a pick worse than 12th. Teams that finish between the fourth-worst and 10th-worst records receive three lottery balls and can pick as high as first or as low as 16th. The 9th and 10th seeds receive two lottery balls, and the losers of the 7/8-seed play-in games receive one lottery ball. The league has also implemented rules to prevent teams from picking first in two straight drafts or top five in three straight drafts.
Impact On Struggling Teams
The new system expands the lottery from 14 teams to 16 teams, and teams with the worst records can fall as low as No. 12 overall, while the other 13 teams can drop as far as No. 16. This means that struggling teams, such as the Chicago Bulls, may not be incentivized to tank for better lottery picks. In fact, the new rules may make it more difficult for teams to rebuild through the draft. As Minnesota Timberwolves team president Tim Connelly said, “I think it’ll be the most competitive league we’ve seen, maybe ever.” The changes are intended to encourage teams to compete and win games, rather than losing on purpose to get a higher draft pick.
The new system also includes penalties for teams that purposely tank, including lowering their lottery odds, issuing fines, or modifying their draft position. The league will review the system in 2030 to determine if any further modifications are needed. For now, the changes are in effect, and teams will have to adapt to the new rules. As Cleveland Cavaliers team president Koby Altman said, “The league has changed around the draft rules, the 3-2-1 model. So, tanking is not a thing, or shouldn’t be a thing, if there’s no incentive to lose games anymore.”
By nightfall, the impact of the new system will be clear, and teams will have to adjust their strategies accordingly. As Tyler Herro, who was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks, said, “This is the most I’ve ever lost in my life. We can’t just be smiling and thinking this is OK. Like, the goal here is to win. That’s why we get paid, to win games.” The new draft lottery system is designed to promote competitiveness and discourage tanking, and its effects will be felt throughout the season.
Sources
- NBA stars on bad teams are sick of losing. The new draft lottery system doesn’t help
- NBA draft lottery
- What Does the New NBA Draft Lottery Mean for Your Favorite Team?
- NBA Draft Lottery odds today put Rockets in control
- News: Fox Sports, Charlie Neal, NBA Draft Lottery and more
- Bulls' rough start may ironically be salvaged by NBA's new draft lottery rules
Photo: Patrickpedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
