NBA’s Draft Lottery reform proposal includes looking to 2025 as start of draft streaks

The latest version of the NBA’s Draft Lottery reform proposal has been sent to owners ahead of their May 28 vote, according to multiple league sources. The “3-2-1” proposal is largely the same as originally reported, and details have emerged on a rule that had previously lacked clarity. First, here’s what’s the same:

There will be 37 lottery balls allocated to 16 teams. The bottom three teams receive two (5.4% odds), teams four to 10 receive three (8.1%), the ninth and 10th play-in seeds in each conference would receive two (5.4%), and the loser of the seven vs. eight play-in game would receive one (2.7%).

All 16 picks would be drawn in the lottery. The three teams with the worst records can pick no lower than 12th. Every other team can land first to 16th.

Teams that trade picks are not allowed to protect slots 12, 13, 14, or 15.

Adam Silver will have more power to punish tanking by altering lottery odds or changing where a team is picking.

The above proposed rules remain exactly as they were written when the NBA first made this 3-2-1 pitch in early May. But there is also a rule stating that no team can land first in two consecutive drafts, or in the top five in three consecutive drafts.

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Front offices have been wondering: Does the streak attach to the team holding the pick on lottery night or to the original team whose record is attached to the pick?

The streak attaches to the original team, according to league sources. In other words, if Team A has Team B’s pick in the 2027 draft as a result of a trade and that Team B pick lands first, then Team B’s own pick in 2028 would not be eligible to land first, whether it’s retained by Team B or owned by a different team. But Team A, by virtue of selecting first using Team B’s pick in 2027, would still be eligible to pick first in 2028 with its own pick or any other team’s pick.

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“In the event a team’s pick is drawn in the lottery in a position where it is not permitted to be, then such team’s pick would be moved down to the first…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/nbas-draft-lottery-reform-proposal-includes-looking-to-2025-as-start-of-draft-streaks-172641425.html

Author : Kevin O'Connor

Publish date : 2026-05-22 17:26:00

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