u/YujiDomainExpansion

Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/nbas-draft-lottery-reform-proposal-includes-looking-to-2025-as-start-of-draft-streaks-172641425.html

The latest version of the NBA’s Draft Lottery reform proposal has been sent to owners ahead of their May 28 vote, according to multiple league sources. The “3-2-1” proposal is largely the same as originally reported, and details have emerged on a rule that had previously lacked clarity. First, here’s what’s the same:

• There will be 37 lottery balls allocated to 16 teams. The bottom three teams receive two (5.4% odds), teams four to 10 receive three (8.1%), the ninth and 10th play-in seeds in each conference would receive two (5.4%), and the loser of the seven vs. eight play-in game would receive one (2.7%).

• All 16 picks would be drawn in the lottery. The three teams with the worst records can pick no lower than 12th. Every other team can land first to 16th.

• Teams that trade picks are not allowed to protect slots 12, 13, 14, or 15.

• Adam Silver will have more power to punish tanking by altering lottery odds or changing where a team is picking.

The above proposed rules remain exactly as they were written when the NBA first made this 3-2-1 pitch in early May. But there is also a rule stating that no team can land first in two consecutive drafts, or in the top five in three consecutive drafts.

Front offices have been wondering: Does the streak attach to the team holding the pick on lottery night or to the original team whose record is attached to the pick?

The streak attaches to the original team, according to league sources. In other words, if Team A has Team B’s pick in the 2027 draft as a result of a trade and that Team B pick lands first, then Team B’s own pick in 2028 would not be eligible to land first, whether it’s retained by Team B or owned by a different team. But Team A, by virtue of selecting first using Team B’s pick in 2027, would still be eligible to pick first in 2028 with its own pick or any other team’s pick.

“In the event a team's pick is drawn in the lottery in a position where it is not permitted to be, then such team’s pick would be moved down to the first permissible position,” the league wrote in its proposal sent to teams. Continuing the above example, this would mean that if Team B popped up first in the 2028 draft, that pick would automatically be moved to the second pick instead.

Additionally, the NBA has decided to start the clock on these two-year and three-year streaks by looking back to the 2025 and 2026 drafts, according to league sources. In practice, this would mean if Washington wins the lottery again in 2027, it moves to second.

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Imagine if the Milwaukee Bucks miss the playoffs again next year. The swap rights to their 2027 first is owned by the New Orleans Pelicans and the swap rights to the Bucks’ 2028 first is owned by the Portland Trail Blazers. On 2027 lottery night, if that pick lands first, that means the Pelicans are awarded that pick. Under the current proposal, that would mean in 2028, the Blazers can’t receive the first pick — despite making that trade in 2023 when Damian Lillard was sent to Milwaukee.

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The top-five pick rule will date back to 2025. The Utah Jazz picked fifth in 2025 and second in 2026. Under the new rule, they can’t land in the top five in 2027.

But the Jazz traded that pick to the Memphis Grizzliesin February for Jaren Jackson Jr., which means Memphis won’t be able to receive it since streaks will be triggered by the original team, not the team holding the pick. Two issues here.

First, the framework. The NBA explains this rule under a section titled “Pick Restrictions For Repeat Lottery Winners.” Is landing the fifth pick really a winner? One year ago, the Jazz were distraught when their pick landed fifth, because the true franchise-changers that teams want to win are commonly landed with the first or second pick. In the future, if a team ends up fifth one year, then fourth the next, should they really be punished for landing first in the third year? Or even fifth again? I would argue no, that the top-five rule reaches too far.

I am understanding of wanting to prevent a team from picking first in consecutive years. But anything beyond that feels like a massive overreach that could cause more problems than intended when the goal is supposed to be to eliminate tanking.

Second, there’s the reality that the Jazz did trade that pick. Now the Grizzlies have it — through the rights of a pick-swap structure. But if this rule passes, Memphis wouldn’t be able to receive an unprotected pick. Grizzlies fans would obviously be crushed by the news. This pick was the most valuable of the assets Memphis got back for one of its stars, and it happened under a set of rules that didn’t include a three-year streak cap. That Jazz-to-Grizzlies pick is being retroactively devalued because of a league’s arbitrary decision to start the clock in 2025, but it also gives us an example of what could happen in future years to any team.

For example, in 2029 the Houston Rockets own the swap rights to an unprotected first-round pick via the Phoenix Suns that was acquired in return for Kevin Durant. The Suns were a play-in team this year, and they realistically could be again — or miss the playoffs entirely — in each of the next two seasons. If their 2027 first ends up landing fifth, and then their 2028 first lands third, that would mean the pick Houston traded for can’t end up in the top five in 2029. A trade that Houston made in July 2025 just got worse in May 2026.
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I’m all-in on the 3-2-1 reform. Flattened odds, draft relegation and hard caps on consecutive top picks are rules that give the NBA a real shot of finally putting an end to tanking. But the proposal hasn’t been approved yet. Owners don’t vote until Thursday. There’s still time to iron out the wrinkles.

Source: https://open.substack.com/pub/marcstein/p/an-inside-look-at-the-latest-major?r=nuq3a&utm\_medium=ios

Minnesota's Micah Nori is also a finalist for the Portland coaching vacancy, @TheSteinLine has learned.

Nori, Blazers interim coach Tiago Splitter and LA Clippers assistant coach Jeff Van Gundy are the known finalists.

Source: https://open.substack.com/pub/marcstein/p/the-latest-around-the-league-nba?r=nuq3a&utm_medium=ios

The Mavericks just announced they have mutually parted ways with coach Jason Kidd.

There is a lot of chatter about Aday Mara moving up on people’s draft boards with him being most recently linked to the Brooklyn Nets with the 6th overall pick. In order to make sure they get him, the Oklahoma City Thunder trade with the LA Clippers, but this time Oklahoma City is the one paying the premium price.

Isaiah Hartenstein is an impending free agent this Summer and, even before they pay Hartenstein, Oklahoma City will be in the second apron with the maxes of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren now all officially active. They do have Thomas Sorber waiting in the wings, but he’s way too undersized and too one-dimensional to be usable in a series against Victor Wembanyama. In this scenario, OKC decides to take quality over quantity and start to groom the 7’5” big man out of Michigan to be their starting center as they enter an era where they will surely match up against Victor Wembanyama in the playoffs every year. He’ll be on a rookie scale deal as well which would help the Thunder immensely with lessening their 2nd apron and inevitable repeater tax burdens.

The LA Clippers quietly make off as bandits here with three first-round picks, their own first-round pick back next year, and the 36th pick in the second-round this year in addition to the 37th pick which they got from Memphis. There are dips in talent after 1-4 and then again after 5-10, but the Clippers are in the business of asset accumulation right now and to them quantity might supersede quality. With 12th they’d be able to take someone like Cameron Carr to put alongside Darius Garland and then with 17th they’d be able to take Hannes Steinbach or Morez Johnson Jr.— either way they’re getting multiple good players with upside rather than one guaranteed stud. And this isn’t even counting the two high second-round picks they’d have here (36th and 37th) along with what they might get from Golden State or Miami for Kawhi Leonard this Summer either.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7283401/2026/05/17/nba-draft-lottery-reform-league-executives/?source=user\_shared\_article&unlocked\_article\_code=1.jFA.ELDV.SA0WsAsxSaZt

There are still final details of the 3-2-1 proposal to be finalized. While it includes a rule that teams can’t have the No. 1 pick in successive years, for example, the question of whether that would be allowed if one of the picks came via trade has been debated. That same scenario could be applied to the rule that prohibits teams from landing a top-five pick for three consecutive years.

The plan also increases Silver’s disciplinary powers, with the commissioner given “an added ability to reduce teams’ lottery odds and/or modify teams’ draft positions,” as it was explained to the league’s general managers as part of the league’s presentation.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7268632/2026/05/10/clippers-nba-lottery-luck-2026/?source=user\_shared\_article&unlocked\_article\_code=1.ilA.Q0zS.fDQV\_j-xkKah

In addition to the fifth pick, the Clippers also have two second-round picks: 36th and 52nd overall. The Clippers like this draft and are eager to keep their pick instead of using it in a trade for a veteran. But there is a lot to be done with the draft six weeks away. At least the Clippers know that they are in a position of strength. And perhaps they had the blessing of Jerry West to thank for it.

Source: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/48773488/nba-playoffs-offseason-intel-lebron-giannis-pistons-76ers-clippers-summer

There are three basic options: extend, hold or trade. Leonard has one season at $50 million remaining on his contract and is coming off a likely All-NBA-worthy season. In a vacuum, a team would be looking to extend a player who averaged 28 points on 51% shooting and played in 65 games. If it didn't feel good about extending that player -- with Leonard's lengthy injury history, that would be understandable -- it would definitely look to trade him for maximum value.

"Every day you hear about what's going to happen with Giannis [Antetokounmpo], but everyone ignores that Kawhi has been better and healthier over the last two seasons," an East executive said. "If you had a chance to acquire one or the other, I might go Kawhi."

But, of course, you can't ignore Leonard and the LA Clippers being under investigation for possible salary cap circumvention. That leaves his short-term future somewhat up in the air.

"There's no way they're voiding his contract even if the league finds him guilty," a West GM said. "That would be a reward, clearing the Clippers' books for them."
The way Leonard is playing, the Clippers might wanthim on their books.

"Them getting the No. 5 pick in the draft [via trade with the Indiana Pacers and some lottery fortune] is the piece of information they've been waiting for," a West executive said. "At the very least, you'd expect them to have some fresh conversations to assess his [trade] value."

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Both of them are correct.

Source: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/48774052/sources-warriors-assistants-stotts-stackhouse-return

Despite the return of longtime head coach Steve Kerr, the Golden State Warriors do have changes coming to their coaching staff. Their top two assistants, Terry Stotts and Jerry Stackhouse, are both departing the franchise, league sources told ESPN on Thursday.

The Warriors are in the early stages of searching for replacements for Stotts and Stackhouse. Former New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green is among the candidates, league sources said. Green started his NBA coaching career with the Warriors in 2016 and spent three seasons as an assistant on Kerr's staff. The two remain close.

Source: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/05/14/sports/isaiah-thomas-celtics-scout/

According to sources, former Celtics superstar Isaiah Thomas is back with the franchise after being hired as a pro and college scout.

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Welcome back to the NBA, Isaiah Thomas!