NBA Board adopts new 3-2-1 draft lottery to curb tanking

The NBA's Board of Governors approved a significant overhaul of the draft lottery system on Thursday, a move designed to discourage teams from intentionally losing games to improve their draft position. The new "3-2-1" format, passed by a 29-1 vote with only the Memphis Grizzlies dissenting, will be in effect for the next three seasons.

The central change flattens the odds for the top overall selection, removing the advantage historically given to the league's worst teams. Under the new system, the three teams with the poorest records will each have just a 5.4 percent chance of winning the No. 1 pick. Meanwhile, the seven teams with the fourth- through tenth-worst records will each have an 8.1 percent chance, giving them better odds than the bottom three.

The reform expands the lottery pool from 14 to 16 teams, incorporating clubs that participate in the play-in tournament. The two teams that lose the No. 7 vs. No. 8 play-in games in each conference will each receive one lottery ball. The No. 9 and No. 10 seeds entering the play-in will each receive two balls. The ten non-playoff teams that do not qualify for the play-in will each receive three balls, except for the three worst...