Adam Silver Plans Tanking Rule Changes

Adam Silver says the NBA will make “substantial” rule changes before next season to fight tanking. He ruled out separating team records from draft position, but said the league’s current incentives are “misaligned.” The NBA already fined the Jazz $500,000 and Pacers $100,000 over player availability decisions. The pressure is real with the 2026 draft class. Brian Windhorst said an executive valued the No. 1 pick at $100 million. Silver hasn’t shared the exact plan, though ESPN’s Tim Bontemps reported one idea could make wins later in the season count more toward lottery odds. The Bucks bringing Giannis Antetokounmpo back also showed how weird the current setup can get.