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In recent years, multiple teams have either shut down players early or sat players for games to try to improve their draft positioning, often tied to a protected pick. Sources said multiple ideas were proposed as a brainstorming measure to combat tanking, including:
Limiting pick protections to either top four or 14 and higher, which would eliminate the problematic mid-lottery protections
No longer allowing a team to draft in the top four two years in a row
Locking lottery positions after March 1
