The Brooklyn Nets closed out the 2025-26 season with a tough 20-62 record, the third-worst in the league. While that typically signals a prime position for the upcoming NBA Draft Lottery, a proposed anti-tanking rule could have shaken things up—if only it had arrived a year earlier.
Under the NBA's potential new measure, which could be voted on as soon as next month, the lottery system would expand from 14 to 16 teams. The biggest change? The three worst teams would no longer have the best odds. Instead, teams with the fourth- through tenth-worst records would each get three lottery balls, while the bottom three—and the 11th- through 16th-worst teams—would all be limited to just two balls. That means a team like the Golden State Warriors, who lost in the play-in tournament, could have the same lottery odds as a squad that finished dead last.
For the Nets, this would have been a nightmare scenario. With the third-worst record, Brooklyn would have faced the same slim chances as a borderline playoff team, and the proposal also stipulates that the three worst teams cannot fall lower than the 12th pick. That safety net would have been cold comfort for a franchise hoping to land a generational talent.
Fortunately for Nets fans, the rule change is expected to take effect for the 2027 draft, not this year. That means Brooklyn can still dream big—perhaps landing a top prospect like BYU forward AJ Dybantsa, Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, or Duke forward Cameron Boozer. Any of these players could be the cornerstone the franchise needs to rebuild.
There's also a silver lining regarding the Nets' pick owed to the Houston Rockets. If the anti-tanking rule is implemented next season, it could alter how future picks are awarded, potentially easing some of the pressure on Brooklyn's long-term plans. For now, though, the Nets can focus on the here and now—and maybe even aim for a playoff push next year. Either way, this proposed rule change is a fascinating glimpse into how the league is trying to balance competition and fairness.