The Brooklyn Nets, just like every other team in the Association, know that the NBA is looking to crack on tanking within the league in a way no one has seen. Brooklyn, while going about their rebuild in a way that appears like they’re more concerned with developing young prospects than they are about gaming the system, could be under more scrutiny when the league’s new anti-tanking measure passes.
“NBA commissioner Adam Silver can still alter the proposal before Thursday’s board of governors vote, and team owners could suggest changes,” Mike Vorkunov reported for The Athletic on Monday. There have been various reports that the NBA’s Board of Governors will approve the new “3-2-1” format later this month and while that measure will switch up how the Lottery operates, it seems that Silver will also have more power as a result.
“Silver would gain a lot of latitude to punish tanking offenders under the proposed system,” Vorkunov continued. “He would be able to fine a team up to $10 million, force them to forfeit or transfer draft picks, reduce lottery odds, change draft positions or suspend team officials, according to league sources.”
Under the new proposal, the Lottery would expand from 14 teams to 16 teams with the teams that finish with the fourth-to-10th-worst record getting three ping-pong ball, the teams finishing the three-worst records getting two ping-pong balls along with the teams that finish with the 11th-to-14th worst records, and the teams that lost in the play-in tournament would get one ping-pong ball.
Given that the Nets have finished with the sixth-worst record or worse over the past two seasons, this new Lottery proposal could potentially affect Brooklyn, even with Brooklyn not having control of their first-round pick for the 2027 NBA Draft. However, since the Nets owe their first-round pick to the Houston Rockets next year, Brooklyn may have an additional aspect to consider if Silver is able to impose punishments on teams that do not tank the right way.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets rebuild could face more scrutiny under NBA’s new tanking proposal
Reporting by Sharif Phillips-Keaton, Nets Wire / Nets Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
