The NBA is once again tightening its grip on one of the league’s thorniest issues: tanking. According to league sources, one of the more dramatic proposals on the table would prohibit teams from landing a top-four pick in back-to-back drafts - a bold move aimed at discouraging franchises from intentionally bottoming out year after year in search of lottery gold.
That proposal was reportedly just one of several floated during a recent board of governors meeting. The league is also considering changes to how teams can protect their traded first-round picks - specifically, limiting protections to either the top four or the entire lottery (top 14). That would remove the gray area where teams can shield picks in the mid-to-late lottery, a tactic often used to hedge bets while still staying in rebuild mode.
Another idea under discussion? Locking in lottery positioning as early as March 1.
That would be a seismic shift in how late-season games are approached, particularly for teams on the fringe of the playoff picture or those already sliding toward the bottom. If lottery odds are frozen with more than a month left in the regular season, the incentive to rest stars or strategically “experiment” with lineups down the stretch could be significantly reduced.
The urgency behind these proposals isn’t just about competitive balance - it’s about integrity. The league’s crackdown comes in the wake of a federal investigation that’s shaking the NBA’s foundation. According to indictments, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, and former player Damon Jones were all implicated in a gambling scheme involving non-public injury and lineup information.
The details are damning. In one instance, an unnamed co-conspirator - whose description reportedly matches Billups - allegedly tipped off a bettor that Portland would be resting several key scorers in a March 2023 game against the Bulls.
The implication? The Blazers were planning to lose.
Bettors, armed with that inside info, reportedly wagered over $100,000 on Chicago. The result?
A 124-96 blowout win for the Bulls, with Portland fielding a depleted lineup.
That scandal has put a spotlight on the blurred lines between strategy, injury management, and outright manipulation - and the NBA is responding. On Monday, the league rolled out new injury reporting rules designed to increase transparency and limit the potential for information leaks. Teams are now required to submit injury reports between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. local time on game days and update them every 15 minutes, not hourly as before.
It’s a clear message from the league office: the days of opaque injury reports and late lineup surprises are numbered. The NBA is trying to close loopholes that allow teams to game the system - whether for lottery odds or, in this case, for the benefit of gamblers with inside access.
The league has long walked a fine line between allowing teams to rebuild and protecting the competitive integrity of the regular season. But with gambling now fully integrated into the NBA’s ecosystem - from partnerships with sportsbooks to in-game betting experiences - the stakes have never been higher.
These proposed changes won’t eliminate tanking overnight. But they represent a significant step toward a more transparent, accountable league - one where fans, players, and bettors alike can trust that what they’re watching is real, and not just part of a long-term plan to lose now and win later.