Tanking in the NBA, the strategy of intentionally losing games to improve draft chances, has frustrated fans and Commissioner Adam Silver. With the 2026 NBA Draft projected to have one of the most promising prospect classes in years, this practice has intensified. Teams like the Utah Jazz have even benched key players in the final quarter to ensure losses.

Faced with this situation, the NBA is seeking solutions to prevent tanking from dominating the 2026 season and beyond. Several ideas are expected to be presented at the next Board of Governors meeting to address this problem, seeking to maintain competitiveness and interest in the league.

According to reports, several proposals are being considered. One is that the 10 teams that don't qualify for the play-in have an 8% chance of getting the first draft pick. Another idea is to expand the lottery to 18 teams, including the play-in participants, with the aim of incentivizing teams to compete until the end of the regular season.

The National Basketball Players Association (NBAPA) also favors a model similar to the English Premier League, where teams could receive additional revenue from national television based on their position in the standings. This approach seeks to reward performance and encourage competitiveness in each game.

If the 18-team lottery idea is implemented, players suggest that the 10 worst teams share a 7% chance of getting the first pick, instead of 8%. The remaining eight teams in the lottery would have a 3.75% chance. This adjustment seeks to balance opportunities and prevent tanking from being the predominant strategy.

In addition, the NBAPA wants to implement the Premier League model, which could involve distributing an additional $10 million from television revenue to teams based on their final position in the standings. These proposals seek to create a more competitive and fair environment in the NBA.