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NBA votes on 16-team lottery, bans back-to-back No. 1 picks

4/29/2026

26 5 Full Breakdown

Summary

NBA Lottery Reform

The NBA will vote on the “3-2-1 lottery” reform on May 28.
On April 28 the league emailed all 30 managers to expand the lottery to 16 teams.
The bottom three teams receive two balls, giving them a 5.4 % chance at No. 1 and a No. 12 floor.
The plan bans back-to-back No. 1 picks, three straight top-five picks, removes protections for slots 12-15, permits lower odds, and expires after the 2029 draft.

Summary

Silver warns

Commissioner Adam Silver said teams should “hate to lose,” calling losing “uncomfortable.”
Critics say the 3-2-1 plan may push teams to aim below the playoffs, especially the No. 7 vs. No. 8 Play-In game.
The plan expands the commissioner’s authority to modify lottery odds, a power the NBPA will contest.
A sunset clause ends the reform after the 2029 draft, a trial amid overcorrection fears.

History

Historical Context

The NBA introduced its draft lottery in 1985 to curb tanking after the coin-flip scandal, giving each of the seven worst teams an equal chance. A 1993 revision raised the worst-team odds to 25 % and the 2019 change set a flat 14 % chance for the bottom three. Adam Silver now proposes a 3-2-1 format that would lower those odds to 5.4 %.

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NBA Lottery Reform

The NBA will vote on the “3-2-1 lottery” reform on May 28.
On April 28 the league emailed all 30 managers to expand the lottery to 16 teams.
The bottom three teams receive two balls, giving them a 5.4 % chance at No. 1 and a No. 12 floor.
The plan bans back-to-back No. 1 picks, three straight top-five picks, removes protections for slots 12-15, permits lower odds, and expires after the 2029 draft.

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