Thunder GM Sam Presti expects the NBA’s new draft-lottery incentives to make bottom-ranked teams more competitive and narrow the gap across the league. He predicts records and NET ratings could look more like the 1980s, though the system’s effects remain to be seen.
Presti said stronger teams at the bottom could leave playoff hopefuls with fewer easy games and keep contests competitive longer, potentially putting pressure on coaches’ rotations. He said the changes will need calibration, and their effects will become clearer once teams play under the system.
Presti said a further challenge is ensuring teams that try their best but continue to lose have fair, not wholly random, access to the draft’s top players. He described that as the next issue to address.
