NBA plans to enact anti-tanking rules next season, sources say - ESPN

Commissioner Adam Silver informed the league's 30 general managers Thursday that the NBA plans to make anti-tanking rule changes for next season, sources told ESPN.

The league office's conversations with stakeholders from the board of governors, competition committee and GMs have been intensifying dialogue about combatting tanking — including starting to propose potential concepts for changes in December during its meeting with owners.

Multiple sources with knowledge of Thursday's meeting as well as a late January competition committee meeting told ESPN that these concepts have been discussed to curb tanking:

First-round draft picks can be protected only for top-four or top-14-plus selections

Lottery odds freeze at the trade deadline or a later date

No longer allowing a team to pick top four in consecutive years and/or after consecutive bottom-three finishes

Teams can't pick top four the year after making conference finals

Lottery odds allocated based on two-year records

Lottery extended to include all play-in teams

Flatten odds for all lottery teams

During Thursday's GM meeting, Silver, the NBA office and the league's 30 top team executives shared a desire to have ongoing discussions to safeguard the integrity of the sport. Silver was described as «forceful» with his message about wanting to attack the problem that has gained steam across the league in recent weeks.

Sources said Mike Krzyzewski, the senior adviser to basketball operations for the league office, delivered a message at Thursday's meeting that there should be a prompt, tasteful «attack» on the problem developing in the NBA and that those involved should all be prepared to respond to what the league enacts in the coming months and year.

During his All-Star