NBA Proposes 321 Draft Lottery Plan to Curb Tanking

The National Basketball Association has unveiled details of a proposed overhaul to its draft lottery system, dubbed the 321 plan, aimed at discouraging tanking by teams intentionally losing games to secure better draft positions. The league shared the proposal with its 30 general managers this week, with owners scheduled to vote on it during a Board of Governors meeting on May 28. Sources indicate the core elements enjoy majority support among teams and are likely to gain approval, potentially taking effect for the 2026 draft after this year's lottery on May 10.

Under the 321 format, named for the maximum number of lottery balls teams can receive, the lottery would expand from 14 to 16 teams, all eligible for the No. 1 overall pick. The three teams with the worst records would enter a relegation zone, receiving two balls each and a floor of the 12th pick, reducing their odds of landing the top selection to 5.4 percent. Teams finishing fourth through 10th from the bottom, which miss both the playoffs and play-in tournament, would receive the highest odds with three balls apiece and an 8.1 percent chance at No. 1. The ninth and 10th play-in seeds in each conference would get two...