An analysis by Stephen Noh of The Sporting News concludes that the NBA's anti-tanking measures have not achieved their intended goal of incentivizing struggling teams to win more games. The rules, designed to flatten draft lottery odds and discourage deliberate losing, have not produced a measurable increase in victories among the league's worst-performing franchises.
The findings were published on November 5, 2026, as part of a detailed examination of the policy's impact since its implementation. The analysis examines win-loss records, lottery positioning, and front-office decision-making patterns across multiple seasons.
