The NBA’s long battle against tanking has taken a major step forward. On Thursday, the league’s Board of Governors voted 29-1 in favor of significant draft lottery reforms designed to discourage teams from deliberately losing games. The lone dissenter was the Memphis Grizzlies, whose objection reportedly stems from future draft picks heading their way.
The new rules mark one of the most substantial changes to the draft process in recent years. Moving forward, no team will be allowed to pick in the top five for three consecutive years, and no franchise can win the No. 1 overall pick in back-to-back seasons. These restrictions, combined with a restructured lottery system, aim to reduce the incentive for blatant tanking.
New Lottery Structure
Under the updated format:
- The bottom three teams will receive two lottery balls each (5.4% odds at the No. 1 pick).
- Teams with the 4th through 10th-worst records will get three lottery balls each (8.1% odds).
- The No. 9 and 10 play-in seeds will also receive two lottery balls each (5.4% odds).
- The losers of the 7-8 play-in game will receive one lottery ball each (2.7% odds).
This redistribution spreads out the chances more evenly and penalizes prolonged poor performance, addressing a problem that became glaringly obvious during the 2025-26 season.
The Tanking Problem
Tanking reached uncomfortable levels this past season, fueled by one of the strongest draft classes in recent memory. The top 10 prospects — particularly the elite top four — were so promising that several teams showed little hesitation in punting on the regular season. Teams like the Utah Jazz made headlines for sitting star players in the fourth quarter specifically to chase losses, a practice that drew sharp criticism as football season ended and viewership numbers climbed.
Such shenanigans have long damaged the league’s product and fan experience. The NBA finally acted decisively.
Brad Stevens’ Warning Comes True
For the Boston Celtics, these changes carry a more sobering implication.
At his end-of-season press conference, Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens delivered a sobering message. While discussing what Boston needs to do to chase another championship, Stevens warned that the competitive landscape was about to shift dramatically.
“You have to consider the other teams that are at those levels, and I think the other thing that you have to consider, especially for next year, is there were a lot of teams in the NBA that were playing for draft positioning this year,” Stevens said. “That will not be the case next year. So, the league’s gonna be a lot better. The regular season could be a lot harder, and it will probably give you a better indication of what everybody really is.”
Stevens openly acknowledged that the Celtics’ impressive 56-win campaign was made somewhat easier by the number of opponents who were prioritizing lottery position over competition. That era, it appears, is coming to an end.
A More Competitive NBA
While the lottery reform may not completely eliminate tanking, it represents a strong step toward ensuring more meaningful games throughout the season. Fewer teams will feel comfortable openly surrendering nights, especially with the new restrictions on consecutive high picks.
For a Celtics team built to contend at the highest level, this development is a double-edged sword. On one hand, a stronger regular season will better prepare championship contenders for the intensity of the playoffs. On the other, the path to securing the No. 1 seed — and home-court advantage throughout the postseason — just became significantly more difficult.
Brad Stevens’ prophecy has officially come true. The NBA regular season is about to get tougher, more competitive, and far less forgiving. For the Celtics, the nightmare of a truly grueling 82-game slate is no longer a prediction. It is the new reality.