The NBA has settled on a new draft lottery proposal, putting one of the league’s most stubborn competitive problems squarely in front of team owners.

Commissioner Adam Silver said Wednesday on Stephen A. Smith’s radio show that the league will present a “3-2-1 lottery” plan to the board of governors later this month. The goal is clear: reduce the incentive for teams to lose on purpose in pursuit of top draft odds. Silver’s comments mark a notable shift from broad concern about tanking to a concrete proposal the league appears ready to advance.

The NBA now appears ready to test whether draft reform can change the math that makes losing look useful.

Reports indicate the proposal would reshape how the top of the draft gets assigned, though Silver did not spell out every detail in the comments referenced here. What matters immediately is the league’s choice to rally around a specific model after years of criticism that the current system still rewards teams that bottom out. By bringing the plan to the governors, the NBA turns an abstract frustration into a live policy fight.

Key Facts

  • Adam Silver said the NBA has landed on a “3-2-1 lottery” proposal.
  • The league plans to present the proposal to the board of governors later this month.
  • The stated aim is to curb tanking by changing draft lottery incentives.
  • Silver discussed the plan on Stephen A. Smith’s radio show Wednesday.

The stakes stretch beyond draft-night mechanics. Tanking erodes late-season games, distorts roster decisions, and tests fans’ patience when franchises prioritize lottery position over competition. The NBA has already adjusted lottery rules before, but Silver’s latest remarks suggest league leaders believe another change has become necessary. Sources suggest the league sees the current moment as an opportunity to tighten the link between effort and reward.

The next step belongs to the board of governors, which will decide whether this proposal becomes the NBA’s latest answer to a problem that refuses to fade. If owners approve it, the league could alter how front offices calculate risk, rebuild timelines, and the value of losing. That matters not just for struggling teams, but for the credibility of the regular season itself.