Chicago Cubs vs. San Diego Padres preview, Tuesday 4/28, 8:40 CT

Tuesday notes…

  • STREAKING THE WRONG WAY: The Cubs had not lost three straight games this season until this current streak from Saturday through Monday. They had lost back-to-back games twice. They lost three in a row four times last season and five in a row once. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
  • AT SAN DIEGO: This is the Cubs’ 86th series at San Diego since the Padres joined the National League in 1969. It is the 42nd in which the Cubs lost the first game. They won the second game 14 times and lost it 27 times. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
  • MORE FROM SAN DIEGO: Last night’s game was the Cubs’ 263rd at San Diego. It was the 19th in which they scored exactly seven runs. They had won each of the previous 18, most recently by 7-1 in 2021, 7-5 in 2022 and 7-1 in 2023. The Cubs are 21-4 at home when they have scored seven runs vs. the Padres, making their overall record in seven-run games 39-5. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
  • MO BALLER:Moises Ballesteros’ career OPS stands at 1.011. That is the highest, by 45 points, among the 44 players who debuted as Cubs since 1901 and through 45 games had at least 135 plate appearances, Ballesteros’ numbers. Ray Grimes is second, at .966. His 45 games were in 1921. Bob Speake is third, at .945 in 1955. The highest since then is .925, by Matt Murton in 2005, then .909 by Kyle Schwarber in 2015 and .897 by Ian Happ in 2017. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)

Cubs lineup:

Padres lineup:

Edward Cabrera, RHP vs. Walker Buehler, RHP

Edward Cabrera’s Cubs career has started out well. He’s allowed no more than three earned runs in any of his five starts (two unearned runs last Thursday helped force extras), and he’s allowed just two home runs in 29.2 innings.

His K rate is down a bit from last year, but as long as the team is getting results (they’ve won four of the five games he’s started), I’m not going to quibble with that.

The last time he faced the Padres, July 22, 2025 at Miami, he allowed one run in 5.2 innings, with no walks and six strikeouts. The Cubs probably need him to go a bit longer tonight, what with the current bullpen issues.

Walker Buehler was once one of the top starters in MLB, but injuries have pretty much ruined that. At age 31 he’s a reclamation project for the Padres, and it is not going well: 5.75 ERA, 1.623 WHIP in 20.1 innings over five starts. One of those starts was six scoreless vs. the Rockies. In the other four: 8.16 ERA, nine walks in 14.1 innings.

The last time he faced the Cubs was Sept. 9, 2024 in Los Angeles. He allowed nine hits and five runs in five innings. Michael Conforto has homered twice off him in 11 career at-bats.

Here is the weather forecast for the area around Petco Park.

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network. It’s also on MLB Network (outside the Cubs and Padres market territories).

Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Padres site Gaslamp Ball. If you do go there to interact with Padres fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.

You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).

At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.

The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.

You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

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Anthony Davis loves Legos so much he has apparently missed multiple extension calls from Rich Paul

Never say that Anthony Davis doesn’t have layers.

The Washington Wizards star — who still has yet to play a game for the Wizards — appeared on the “Glass Half Full” podcast with Craig Melvin of “Today” in an episode released Tuesday and was asked if he has a hobby “that would surprise most people.”

His answer: “I love to build Legos.”

He then explained his love for Legos has caused him to miss calls from his agent Rich Paul regarding not one but two contract extensions:

“It’s funny because my agent called me my last two extensions, and I wasn’t answering the phone. He was like, ‘Man, you just got paid the highest extension in NBA history, and I can’t get ahold of you.’ ‘I’m sorry, I was building Legos. I apologize.’”

Anthony Davis is on his third NBA team in two years.
Scott Taetsch via Getty Images

If that timeline is correct, we are talking about the five-year, $190 million extension Davis signed in 2020 and the 3-year, $175 million extension he signed in 2023, both with the Los Angeles Lakers. That is a whole lot of Legos.

As Today notes, Davis has spoken about his love for Legos in the past:

“My peace … where it’s just like I would listen to music and just be drifted off, it’s doing Legos,” he said on “The Backyard Podcast” in 2024.

All of that has probably helped Davis through the past year or two. The Lakers shockingly traded him to the Dallas Mavericks in February 2025, and his ensuing Mavericks career was hampered enough by injuries and organizational instability that the team sent him to the Wizards a year later.

He is now part of a Washington organization hoping to take the leap next year by pairing a 10-time All-Star big man with Trae Young, a solid young core and a guaranteed top-five pick in the loaded 2026 NBA Draft.

Anthony Davis loves Legos so much he has apparently missed multiple extension calls from Rich Paul

Never say that Anthony Davis doesn’t have layers.

The Washington Wizards star — who still has yet to play a game for the Wizards — appeared on the “Glass Half Full” podcast with Craig Melvin of “Today” in an episode released Tuesday and was asked if he has a hobby “that would surprise most people.”

His answer: “I love to build Legos.”

He then explained his love for Legos has caused him to miss calls from his agent Rich Paul regarding not one but two contract extensions:

“It’s funny because my agent called me my last two extensions, and I wasn’t answering the phone. He was like, ‘Man, you just got paid the highest extension in NBA history, and I can’t get ahold of you.’ ‘I’m sorry, I was building Legos. I apologize.’”

Anthony Davis is on his third NBA team in two years.
Scott Taetsch via Getty Images

If that timeline is correct, we are talking about the five-year, $190 million extension Davis signed in 2020 and the 3-year, $175 million extension he signed in 2023, both with the Los Angeles Lakers. That is a whole lot of Legos.

As Today notes, Davis has spoken about his love for Legos in the past:

“My peace … where it’s just like I would listen to music and just be drifted off, it’s doing Legos,” he said on “The Backyard Podcast” in 2024.

All of that has probably helped Davis through the past year or two. The Lakers shockingly traded him to the Dallas Mavericks in February 2025, and his ensuing Mavericks career was hampered enough by injuries and organizational instability that the team sent him to the Wizards a year later.

He is now part of a Washington organization hoping to take the leap next year by pairing a 10-time All-Star big man with Trae Young, a solid young core and a guaranteed top-five pick in the loaded 2026 NBA Draft.

GameThread: Tigers vs. Braves, 7:15 p.m.

Apr 24, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene (31) breaks his bat on a hit in the ninth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Detroit Tigers (15-14) vs. Atlanta Braves (20-9)

Time/Place: 7:15 p.m., Truist Park
SB Nation Site: Battery Power
Media: Detroit Sportsnet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Pitching Matchup: RHP Casey Mize (2-1, 2.51 ERA) vs. LHP Martín Pérez (1-1, 2.70 ERA)

Player G IP K% BB% GB% FIP fWAR
Mize 5 28.2 27.4 8.5 38.4 2.95 0.8
Pérez 5 23.1 15.4 6.6 39.4 4.63 0.1

Lineups

TIGERS BRAVES
Jahmai Jones – DH Ronald Acuna – RF
Gleyber Torres – 2B Drake Baldwin – C
Kevin McGonigle – SS Matt Olson – 1B
Matt Vierling – RF Ozzie Albies – 2B
Dillon Dingler – C Michael Harris – CF
Riley Greene – LF Austin Riley – 3B
Spencer Torkelson – 1B Dominic Smith – DH
Hao-Yu Lee – 3B Mauricio Dubon – SS
Javier Baez – CF Mike Yastrzemski – LF

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Jonathan India has season-ending surgery

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – APRIL 05: Jonathan India #6 of the Kansas City Royals in action during the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Kauffman Stadium on April 05, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Jonathan India had labral surgery and will miss the remainder of the season, according to MLB.com reporter Anne Rogers. India had been out since April 18 when he landed on the Injured List with a left shoulder subluxation. He injured the shoulder last June and missed time in July as well. He also missed a game in the season-opening series in Atlanta earlier this year due to shoulder issues. India hit just .167/.310/.313 in 17 games with the Royals this year.

The injury may mark the end of India’s time in Kansas City, as he is eligible for free agency after the season. The Royals originally acquired him before the 2025 season from the Cincinnati Reds with outfielder Joey Wiemer in exchange for pitcher Brady Singer. India was a proven on-base hitter with the Reds, with a line of .253/.352/.412 in four seasons in Cincinnati, and he finished third in the National League in walks the year before the Royals acquired him.

But he was a disappointment in his first season with the Royals, batting just .233/.323/.346 with 54 walks in 136 games. He also became a big defensive liability at second base, finishing last in Outs Above Average, and attempts to move him to third and left field were unsuccessful. The Royals opted to tender him a contract at the end of the season, hoping he would bounce back, agreeing to pay him $8 million for the 2026 season.

Michael Massey will likely get the bulk of the time at second base in India’s absence, with Nick Loftin also an option against left-handed pitchers.

What’s next for the Boston Red Sox?

Organizational turmoil be darned, the Boston Red Sox are finally playing some decent baseball.

This mini hot stretch started a few hours before former manager Alex Cora was let go, with the club’s rousing 17-1 victory over the Orioles on Saturday. The Red Sox have now won twice under interim manager Chad Tracy, jumping their playoff odds nearly 11 points over the past few days, from 28.1% to 38.8%. And because it’s still ridiculously early in the season, the Sox are just two games out of a postseason spot in the still-very-crowded AL wild-card picture.

The Sox’s pitching, in particular, has been brilliant. Boston starters have surrendered just two runs in their past three games. And the offense has been markedly better. Another few wins against a division rival this week in Toronto could put Boston on a five-game heater and change the tenor of the first home game of the post-Cora era (Friday against the Astros).

But a few well-played games, on their own, cannot save a season. The Red Sox remain a franchise with an uncertain outlook, a maligned top baseball exec, a dangerously detached owner, a rookie manager, a flawed roster, a bottom-five offense, a $200 million payroll, a furious fan base and enough internal discord to fuel a reality show.

So what now, for MLB’s soap-opera franchise?

Boston’s head hardball honcho has come under fire for myriad reasons. Seeing as he was the architect of this roster, any underperformance ultimately rests on Breslow’s shoulders, something he acknowledged multiple times during his news conference after Cora’s canning. Shortstop Trevor Story was clearly peeved by the firing, initially telling reporters he was “unsatisfied” with the CBO’s explanation.

Breslow has also been criticized for the way he talks about the sport. Despite a successful, 12-year MLB career, the 45-year-old Yale grad speaks less like a ballplayer and more like a consulting firm’s latest AI bot. 

But Breslow’s calculating, emotionless, numbers-driven approach to his job has, at least for the time being, earned him the support of ownership. He still has a gig; Cora does not. That alone shows who has more juice.

Still, Breslow’s leash won’t last forever. A season without October baseball would put him on the hot seat, if he isn’t already. The Red Sox have churned through baseball ops execs at a frightening rate lately, with four different individuals holding the top job since the start of 2015. Surely owner John Henry and team president Sam Kennedy would prefer stability, but they’ve also shown themselves quite willing to change course.

If he maintains his current pace (a 1.000 winning percentage), Tracy will be Red Sox manager for life. But assuming he eventually loses a ballgame or two, the 40-year-old will have to prove himself capable of handling one of the sport’s more strenuous and scrutinized jobs.

Asked Saturday whether the interim tag means Tracy will serve as skipper for the remainder of the season, Breslow was comically noncommittal.

“We believe that Chad is the right guy to handle this transition, and we’re going to put all of our effort into supporting him to do that,” he said.

That leaves the door open for another change if the team doesn’t right the ship and another compelling candidate emerges in-season. If the Sox play well under Tracy, the job is probably his for this year and beyond. If they don’t, Boston could definitely open up a full managerial search in the offseason, if not before. The specifics of that scenario also depend on whether Breslow keeps his job, as a new executive would almost certainly want to hire their own skipper.

Don’t count on it.

Despite the chants for Henry to step down echoing outside Fenway Park, owning a ballclub happens to be a very lucrative business. And the Sox are only part of Henry’s portfolio as the head of Fenway Sports Group, a consortium that also owns Liverpool F.C. and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Henry has, over recent years, adopted a more secretive and behind-the-scenes presence. Kennedy tends to handle the public-facing duties that a typical owner would take on.

But don’t get it twisted: Boston’s problems start with Henry. While he has spent money on the big-league roster, it hasn’t always been up to the fan base’s standards. More importantly, Henry’s conduct has made it seem like he thinks of the club as a piggy bank, not an institution. His reluctance to face the music is a real problem.

The starting pitching looks legitimately good. Garrett Crochet had a couple of early stinkers but bounced back with a nice outing Saturday in Baltimore. He remains one of the best hurlers in the sport. Free-agent addition Ranger Suarez struck out 10 and allowed just one hit across eight innings on Monday. Young lefties Connelly Early and Payton Tolle have both impressed in a small sample, solidifying themselves as rotation stalwarts. Boston faces a tricky situation whenever Sonny Gray gets off the IL, as Brayan Bello’s struggles make him the obvious odd man out.

The offense, or lack thereof, was a driving force behind Cora’s ouster. Jarren Duran, in particular, has been a disaster. He’s swinging more often at breaking balls and less often at fastballs. Generally speaking, that’s a bad approach; like most hitters, Duran’s career numbers against heaters (.288 average, .476 slug) are superior to his numbers against sliders, sweepers and curves (.226 average, .391 slug). A complete bounce-back to the outfielder’s stellar 2024 feels less and less likely as time goes on, meaning Boston likely missed the chance to trade this guy for anything of value.

Duran is the team’s biggest red flag moving forward, with Story a close second, considering how much the veteran shortstop is chasing pitches outside the zone. His defense also remains unsatisfactory. Story is a flawed player, but one who has enough of a track record and enough standing in the room that he’ll get runway to figure things out. 

Marcelo Mayer, at least the current version of him, looks more like a capable bottom-of-the-order type than a dynamic offensive force. That very well could change as the 23-year-old adds strength and acclimates to big-league ball, but right now, he can’t be relied on as a needle-moving hitter. Roman Anthony is a different story. He’s had underwhelming surface-level stats, but the underlying stuff says he’ll be back to normal soon. Wilyer Abreu and Willson Contreras have both been bright spots amidst the dreary gray.

Altogether, it’s a good, not great offense, a very good pitching staff and a questionable defensive alignment. Is that a playoff team? Maybe.

For Breslow’s sake, it better be.

What’s next for the Boston Red Sox?

Organizational turmoil be darned, the Boston Red Sox are finally playing some decent baseball.

This mini hot stretch started a few hours before former manager Alex Cora was let go, with the club’s rousing 17-1 victory over the Orioles on Saturday. The Red Sox have now won twice under interim manager Chad Tracy, jumping their playoff odds nearly 11 points over the past few days, from 28.1% to 38.8%. And because it’s still ridiculously early in the season, the Sox are just two games out of a postseason spot in the still-very-crowded AL wild-card picture.

The Sox’s pitching, in particular, has been brilliant. Boston starters have surrendered just two runs in their past three games. And the offense has been markedly better. Another few wins against a division rival this week in Toronto could put Boston on a five-game heater and change the tenor of the first home game of the post-Cora era (Friday against the Astros).

But a few well-played games, on their own, cannot save a season. The Red Sox remain a franchise with an uncertain outlook, a maligned top baseball exec, a dangerously detached owner, a rookie manager, a flawed roster, a bottom-five offense, a $200 million payroll, a furious fan base and enough internal discord to fuel a reality show.

So what now, for MLB’s soap-opera franchise?

Boston’s head hardball honcho has come under fire for myriad reasons. Seeing as he was the architect of this roster, any underperformance ultimately rests on Breslow’s shoulders, something he acknowledged multiple times during his news conference after Cora’s canning. Shortstop Trevor Story was clearly peeved by the firing, initially telling reporters he was “unsatisfied” with the CBO’s explanation.

Breslow has also been criticized for the way he talks about the sport. Despite a successful, 12-year MLB career, the 45-year-old Yale grad speaks less like a ballplayer and more like a consulting firm’s latest AI bot. 

But Breslow’s calculating, emotionless, numbers-driven approach to his job has, at least for the time being, earned him the support of ownership. He still has a gig; Cora does not. That alone shows who has more juice.

Still, Breslow’s leash won’t last forever. A season without October baseball would put him on the hot seat, if he isn’t already. The Red Sox have churned through baseball ops execs at a frightening rate lately, with four different individuals holding the top job since the start of 2015. Surely owner John Henry and team president Sam Kennedy would prefer stability, but they’ve also shown themselves quite willing to change course.

If he maintains his current pace (a 1.000 winning percentage), Tracy will be Red Sox manager for life. But assuming he eventually loses a ballgame or two, the 40-year-old will have to prove himself capable of handling one of the sport’s more strenuous and scrutinized jobs.

Asked Saturday whether the interim tag means Tracy will serve as skipper for the remainder of the season, Breslow was comically noncommittal.

“We believe that Chad is the right guy to handle this transition, and we’re going to put all of our effort into supporting him to do that,” he said.

That leaves the door open for another change if the team doesn’t right the ship and another compelling candidate emerges in-season. If the Sox play well under Tracy, the job is probably his for this year and beyond. If they don’t, Boston could definitely open up a full managerial search in the offseason, if not before. The specifics of that scenario also depend on whether Breslow keeps his job, as a new executive would almost certainly want to hire their own skipper.

Don’t count on it.

Despite the chants for Henry to step down echoing outside Fenway Park, owning a ballclub happens to be a very lucrative business. And the Sox are only part of Henry’s portfolio as the head of Fenway Sports Group, a consortium that also owns Liverpool F.C. and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Henry has, over recent years, adopted a more secretive and behind-the-scenes presence. Kennedy tends to handle the public-facing duties that a typical owner would take on.

But don’t get it twisted: Boston’s problems start with Henry. While he has spent money on the big-league roster, it hasn’t always been up to the fan base’s standards. More importantly, Henry’s conduct has made it seem like he thinks of the club as a piggy bank, not an institution. His reluctance to face the music is a real problem.

The starting pitching looks legitimately good. Garrett Crochet had a couple of early stinkers but bounced back with a nice outing Saturday in Baltimore. He remains one of the best hurlers in the sport. Free-agent addition Ranger Suarez struck out 10 and allowed just one hit across eight innings on Monday. Young lefties Connelly Early and Payton Tolle have both impressed in a small sample, solidifying themselves as rotation stalwarts. Boston faces a tricky situation whenever Sonny Gray gets off the IL, as Brayan Bello’s struggles make him the obvious odd man out.

The offense, or lack thereof, was a driving force behind Cora’s ouster. Jarren Duran, in particular, has been a disaster. He’s swinging more often at breaking balls and less often at fastballs. Generally speaking, that’s a bad approach; like most hitters, Duran’s career numbers against heaters (.288 average, .476 slug) are superior to his numbers against sliders, sweepers and curves (.226 average, .391 slug). A complete bounce-back to the outfielder’s stellar 2024 feels less and less likely as time goes on, meaning Boston likely missed the chance to trade this guy for anything of value.

Duran is the team’s biggest red flag moving forward, with Story a close second, considering how much the veteran shortstop is chasing pitches outside the zone. His defense also remains unsatisfactory. Story is a flawed player, but one who has enough of a track record and enough standing in the room that he’ll get runway to figure things out. 

Marcelo Mayer, at least the current version of him, looks more like a capable bottom-of-the-order type than a dynamic offensive force. That very well could change as the 23-year-old adds strength and acclimates to big-league ball, but right now, he can’t be relied on as a needle-moving hitter. Roman Anthony is a different story. He’s had underwhelming surface-level stats, but the underlying stuff says he’ll be back to normal soon. Wilyer Abreu and Willson Contreras have both been bright spots amidst the dreary gray.

Altogether, it’s a good, not great offense, a very good pitching staff and a questionable defensive alignment. Is that a playoff team? Maybe.

For Breslow’s sake, it better be.

Game 30 Game Day Thread – New York Yankees @ Texas Rangers

Sep 13, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; Texas Rangers pitcher Jacob deGrom prior to the Mets Alumni Game at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

New York Yankees @ Texas Rangers

Tuesday, April 28, 2026, 7:05 PM CDT (105.3 The Fan / Rangers Sports Network)

The Shed

RHP Cam Schlitter vs. RHP Jacob deGrom

Today’s Lineups

YANKEES RANGERS
Trent Grisham – CF Brandon Nimmo – RF
Ben Rice – 1B Josh Jung – 3B
Aaron Judge – RF Corey Seager – SS
Cody Bellinger – LF Joc Pederson – DH
Jazz Chisholm – 2B Jake Burger – 1B
Jasson Dominguez – DH Evan Carter – CF
Austin Wells – C Josh Smith – 2B
Ryan McMahon – 3B Alejandro Osuna – LF
Jose Caballero – SS Danny Jansen – C
Cam Schlittler – RHP Jacob deGrom – RHP

Go Rangers!

Report: NBA puts forward new “3-2-1” expanded lottery proposal to curb tanking

Adam Silver and the NBA’s quixotic quest to end tanking reached a new level of complexity on Tuesday when the league unveiled a new plan to the 30 league GMs on a conference call.

This new “3-2-1” system — named after how many ping pong balls each team would get, depending upon their finish — would expand the lottery to 16 teams, according to reports by Shams Charania at ESPN and Sam Amick at The Athletic. Here is how the new system would break down:

• The teams with the three worst records in the league would fall into a “relegation zone” and be penalized by only getting two lottery balls, not three like other teams that missed the playoffs. Those three teams would have a 5.4% chance at the No. 1 pick, and in this system could fall no further than 12th. Meaning the team that was the worst the season before could well draft 10th, 11th or 12th.

• Teams that missed the playoffs but were not one of the worst three — teams four through 10 at the bottom of the standings — would get three lottery balls and an 8.1% chance at the No. 1 pick.

• Teams that finish as the No. 9 and 10 seeds in each conference will each get two lottery balls.

• Teams that lose the 7-8 play-in for each conference get one lottery ball (2.7% chance of landing the No. 1 pick).

• Teams cannot win the No. 1 pick in consecutive years or have three consecutive top-five picks.

• Going forward, teams could not protect picks in slots 12 through 15.

• The NBA would have expanded authority to regulate and discipline tanking teams and potentially remove some of their lottery balls.

• This system would expire in 2029, at which time it could be extended, modified or scrapped entirely.

This or any new system put in place would need to be approved by a vote of the NBA owners, which is scheduled for May 28 at the Board of Governors meeting. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, “the key points of the framework have a majority of the support from teams.”

Is it a good plan?

The fact that it took me eight bullet points to try to explain the system says a lot.

Look at it this way: If this new proposed system were in place this season, the Golden State Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder (which controls the LA Clippers pick), Miami Heat and Charlotte Hornets all would have the exact same lottery odds as the Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards and Sacramento Kings.

Is that the point of the draft?

The league’s argument for its plan is a good one is that it incentivizes its worst teams to win and avoid the “relegation zone,” so teams will not all-out tank. The league has been focused on that exact point (seemingly almost exclusively).

The problem with that theory is that these are not quality teams choosing to lose, they are bad teams — some certainly trying to be worse to improve lottery odds, but not good to start with — that need good players to turn things around. This proposal makes it harder for those struggling teams to get the best players.

All of this would change future lotteries for which picks were traded, assuming they would be under the old system or something close to it. This could dramatically mess with the value of picks.

This entire new plan is Silver and the league office reacting to a year when a lot of teams chose to focus on the draft because it is particularly deep. If the NBA did nothing, tanking would be far less of an issue next season because the draft class is not considered nearly as deep or as talented.

The NBA owners can tweak and modify any system put in front of them, but they will have to be pushed by their GMs to do so. It’s going to be an interesting month to see how that plays out.