Report: NBA could change one-and-done rule by 2021

The NBA hinted at changing draft eligibility rules by 2021 in a memo sent to teams Friday, according to a report.

ESPN’s Zach Lowe reported that the league informed teams that “eligibility rules” may be changed as early as 2021 due to issues “related to player development and the corruption investigation in college basketball.”

While the memo does not explicitly mention the one-and-done rule, it has been a point of contention for a while and is the most likely issue to be addressed. Under current rules, players must be at least 19 to enter the NBA Draft. With trades of potential 2021 draft picks coming into play, the memo serves as a gentle warning to teams who may wish to reconsider the ramifications of such trades given what a rule change could do to that draft class.

Even the commissioner has admitted that the current rules simply aren’t working. It appears that a change is a question of when, not if.