National Basketball Association Commissioner Adam Silver said the league is considering stronger measures to address what he described as increased tanking this season, including the possibility of revoking draft picks and revising the draft lottery system.
Speaking during his annual address at All-Star weekend held at Intuit Dome, Silver said the league has observed behavior that appears more severe than in recent years and intends to ensure teams compete in good faith.
“Are we seeing behavior that is worse this year than we’ve seen in recent memory? Yes, is my view,” Silver said, adding that recent fines were meant to put teams on notice as the league evaluates overall conduct this season.
Last week, the NBA fined the Utah Jazz $500,000 and the Indiana Pacers $100,000 for sitting healthy players, citing concerns that the actions compromised competitive integrity.
Silver said the league’s competition committee is reviewing the draft lottery structure to reduce incentives for teams to lose intentionally. He acknowledged that fines alone may not deter teams seeking better draft odds and noted that “every possible remedy” is being discussed.
“The league is 80 years old, and it’s time to take a fresh look at this,” Silver said of the current draft process. “Ultimately, we need a system to fairly distribute players.”
He also highlighted the longstanding dilemma tied to draft positioning, noting that teams often benefit from poor records while middle-tier clubs face fewer opportunities to improve. Silver said this misalignment can lead some fans to support short-term losses in hopes of long-term gains.
