What anti‑tanking rules is the NBA planning?

League moving to curb deliberate losing

The NBA has signaled a concerted push to reduce tanking ahead of the 2026‑27 season. Commissioner Adam Silver told general managers that the league intends to adopt new policies designed to give teams fewer incentives to lose games deliberately, and multiple news outlets confirmed that the office is working from a menu of proposals under consideration.

Owners and executives have already pushed back publicly on the culture of intentional losing. Phoenix Suns governor Mat Ishbia was among the loudest voices, calling tanking “losing behavior done by losers” and urging the league to act. That public pressure — combined with concerns about competitive integrity, fan interest and television ratings — helped accelerate the league’s timeline.

What the process looks like now:

• Internal review: the league has compiled a set of potential changes and discussed them with GMs and other stakeholders.
• Proposal pool: sources have described a package of ideas that the office is weighing, though the NBA has not released a final plan.
• Next steps: the competition committee and owners will need to approve any rule or policy changes before they take effect.

Why this matters: fixing incentives tied to the draft and roster construction could reshape how front offices build for long‑term success. Any enacted changes will influence trade markets, veteran player usage late in losing seasons, and how teams balance short‑term competitiveness against long‑term planning. It’s still unclear which specific measures will be adopted, but the league’s move marks a notable shift from past tolerance of bottom‑out strategies.