The NBA has begun consulting team owners and general managers on fresh strategies to combat tanking, as league officials look to preserve competitive integrity and protect the quality of the regular season.
League sources indicate that the discussions are still in the early stages, with no final proposals agreed upon. However, the move signals growing concern within the NBA that intentional losing, often driven by draft incentives, is undermining fan interest, player development, and the league’s overall product.
Tanking has long been a controversial by-product of the NBA’s draft lottery system, which rewards struggling teams with higher odds of landing top prospects. While the league has already adjusted lottery odds in recent years to discourage extreme losing, executives believe the current framework may not go far enough.
Among the ideas reportedly being explored are further changes to draft positioning, incentives tied to win totals after playoff elimination, and mechanisms that reward sustained competitiveness rather than short-term collapse. Some executives are also pushing for systems that reduce the incentive to bottom out entirely, particularly in seasons with highly anticipated draft classes.
Owners and general managers are said to be divided. Smaller-market teams argue that rebuilding through the draft remains one of the few viable paths to long-term success, while others believe aggressive tanking distorts competition and creates uneven playing fields late in the season.
The issue has become more visible in recent years, with fans and analysts openly questioning lineups, player rest decisions, and front-office strategies that prioritize future assets over present results. The league is also mindful of its gambling partnerships and the reputational risks associated with games that appear non-competitive.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has previously acknowledged the complexity of the issue, noting that outright banning tanking is unrealistic, but that systems can be designed to make it less appealing. Any major reform would require approval from team owners and could take multiple seasons to implement.
For now, the NBA’s outreach to decision-makers suggests momentum toward change. Whether that results in marginal tweaks or a fundamental rethink of the draft and competition structure remains to be seen.
What is clear is that the league wants to send a message: losing on purpose should not be the smartest strategy in professional basketball.
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