This year’s NBA draft appears to be one of the strongest in several years, and losing enough games to become a lottery team could result in a bigger payoff than even making a play-in game.

The NBA has frowned on teams that appear to be tanking for a high pick, and the league implemented a player participation policy in September 2023 to try to discourage clubs from losing on purpose. Teams could face league discipline if star players don’t suit up for certain games.

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