They Saved the NBA All-Star Game? Plus, the NBA’s Tumultuous Week, With Zach Lowe

What It Covers

Bill Simmons and Zach Lowe analyze the 2026 NBA All-Star Game format changes that produced competitive basketball for the first time in years. They dissect the league's tanking crisis following Utah's controversial game, debate season length reduction from 82 games, discuss potential draft lottery reforms, and examine Jayson Tatum's impending return to the Celtics after injury.

Key Questions Answered

• •All-Star Format Success: The USA versus World format with four mini-games created genuine competition, with players like Anthony Edwards (32 points, MVP), Victor Wembanyama, and Cade Cunningham visibly trying hard. The target score overtime and condensed 15-minute pregame replaced the hour-long TNT introductions. First three quarters featured actual defense, blocked shots, and buzzer beaters—a dramatic improvement over the 211-180 embarrassment two years prior that required Adam Silver to shame players during the trophy presentation.
• •Season Length Crisis: Reducing from 82 to 65-72 games addresses multiple structural problems simultaneously. Shorter seasons create less tanking opportunity (teams starting 11-9 can't parachute out with only 60 games remaining), reduce player wear and tear, make each game more meaningful, and spread the schedule. The 11% revenue reduction from cutting 10-12 games gets offset by international neutral-site games and new high-stakes seeding tournaments. Every stakeholder privately agrees 82 games is too long despite public resistance to revenue loss.
• •Tanking Penalties Framework: Implement three-tier consequences for teams finishing below 27-55 record: exclude from luxury tax revenue sharing, reduce salary cap space by specific dollar amounts the following season (similar to fantasy league penalties that successfully deter tanking), and eliminate protected draft picks entirely or restrict to top-four protection only. Teams like Utah trading for injured players (Jonas Valanciunas, John Collins) specifically to not play them represents the new tanking playbook requiring immediate rule changes.
• •Draft Lottery Reimagining: The fundamental question: can the reverse-order draft survive if worst teams always pick highest, or does eliminating tanking require scrapping that principle entirely? Options include preventing top-four picks in consecutive years, removing ping-pong ball combinations as fines for egregious tanking, or radical alternatives like letting consensus top prospects choose among the five worst teams. The 2017 Magic winning the lottery despite playoff contention created the panic that killed previous reform attempts.
• •Relegation System Proposal: At the 62-64 game mark, eliminate the bottom 10 teams (five per conference) from playoff contention. These teams play only each other for remaining games at 75% discounted tickets while the top 20 teams compete in meaningful games. Season ends at 73-74 games total, with one-game seeding battles (1v2, 3v4, 5v6) replacing play-in format. This creates de facto relegation without a separate league while protecting competitive integrity during the crucial post-football February-March window.
• •Tatum Return Dynamics: Jaylen Brown has established himself as the clear number one option during Tatum's absence, averaging the most two-point field goals in the league behind only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Celtics' offensive system shifted to more guard-oriented play through Derek White and Payton Pritchard, with centers setting high picks. Tatum assimilating into this new hierarchy after playing as the primary option his entire career presents the most fascinating March storyline, especially with Brown's multiple "most fun I've had" quotes.
• •Competitive Balance Reality: The league faces five interconnected problems: season too long with worst competition during post-football spotlight, no penalties for tanking (only upside of good picks), declining star durability from schedule demands, 25-35% of season ticket holders getting worthless product for final 30 games, and luxury tax revenue sharing rewarding non-competitive teams. Adam Silver's press conference represented unprecedented urgency, essentially stating he must fix this or face career consequences after the expansion fees get distributed.