OT: The Draft Wheel proposal

[speeds]

One of Adam Silver's first moves as commissioner of the NBA could be to redesign the way the draft lottery works in an attempt to curb tanking.

The NBA is currently considering a Draft Wheel to replace the lottery ball system. The wheel is not to be spun; it's just a way of understanding how the picks would be distributed.

Grantland obtained a copy of the proposal, which would eliminate the draft lottery entirely and replace it with a system in which each of the 30 teams would pick in a specific first-round draft slot once — and exactly once — every 30 years. Each team would simply cycle through the 30 draft slots, year by year, in a predetermined order designed so that teams pick in different areas of the draft each year. Teams would know with 100 percent certainty in which draft slots they would pick every year, up to 30 years out from the start of every 30-year cycle. The practice of protecting picks would disappear; there would never be a Harrison Barnes–Golden State situation again, and it wouldn't require a law degree to track ownership of every traded pick leaguewide.

The system is simpler to understand in pictorial form. Below is the wheel that outlines the order in which each team would cycle through the draft slots; the graphic highlights the top six slots in red to show that every team would be guaranteed one top-six pick every five seasons, and at least one top-12 pick in every four-year span:

Put another way: The team that gets the no. 1 pick in the very first year of this proposed system would draft in the following slots over the system's first six seasons: 1st, 30th, 19th, 18th, 7th, 6th. Just follow the wheel around clockwise to see the entire 30-year pick cycle of each team, depending on their starting spoke in Year 1.

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on...nsider-wheel-concept-to-replace-draft-lottery

 

[julius]

Ok, this has to be a joke.

Can't say it's a bad idea, unless you're the team that gets the Michael Olowakandi #1 pick, and then the Lakers get the Magic Johnson #1 pick.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

I don't have a problem with teams trying to tank. Sometimes shit happens and you need to try and get better through the draft.

 

[cmeese47]

Some teams need more than one lottery pick to be relevant. This system would likely prevent some small market bottom feeders from getting enough talent to compete.

 

[donkiez]

Some teams need more than one lottery pick to be relevant. This system would likely prevent some small market bottom feeders from getting enough talent to compete.

Kind of my issue with this system as well. Big market teams gain a big advantage over time as they get the FA signing advantage as well as the same drafting odds as teams like Milwaukee. Also you have the chance of winning the NBA championship one year and picking first in the draft the next. I like keeping the picks with the teams that need the. IMO a better system that would reducing tanking and help teams that need it would be to give every time who didn't make the playoffs one ping pong ball in the lottery.

 

[Nikolokolus]

My only beef with the lottery is that it actually disadvantages teams in the worse conference. For example you might have a team finish with a record over .500 in the West, miss the playoffs and get a 13th or 14th pick whereas you'll probably see at least a few Leastern teams with sub .500 records get into the playoffs and pick in the 18th - 19th range. Maybe that doesn't seem like a big deal on a case by case basis, but add that up, multiple times over the course of a decade or more and you end up with a subtle, but definite shift of talent to the better conference.

Maybe one solution is to restrict the lottery to the 5 or 6 worst teams?

 

[BigGameDamian]

Now there will be#1 and #2 players picked waiting another year in college and coming out early sometimes because of who might draft them. It's not just an NBA players game anymore the NBA will also be a college players game!

 

[julius]

Now there will be#1 and #2 players picked waiting another year in college and coming out early sometimes because of who might draft them. It's not just an NBA players game anymore the NBA will also be a college players game!

That is GREAT point (if I'm understanding you right). "I don't want to play for this team, I'll just wait another year"...

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Worst idea ever

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Now there will be#1 and #2 players picked waiting another year in college and coming out early sometimes because of who might draft them. It's not just an NBA players game anymore the NBA will also be a college players game!

Best BGD post ever

 

[BrianFromWA]

Man, will they need some kind of new-age Stepien Rule:

Billy King: "Hey, Portland, we just lost Lopez for the Year. Can I in interest you in giving us Freeland?"
Olshey: "Sure, Billy. Just give us your 2040 and 2041 pick. Don't worry that it's number 12 and number one. The players I'll select won't be born for 10 years still! You'll probably be dead. No one will criticize you!"
BK: "You make a helluva point, Neil. Done."

 

[BlayZa]

the biggest cause of teams being stuck at the bottom (from what i can see) is cashing up players who have instantly become shells of their pre-contract self and screw any flexibility a franchise has in the short to medium term.
id much rather see non guaranteed contracts in the league before this - or at least putting a low cap on the max guaranteed years with a mutual agreement clause for extension.

i really like the draft, there's usually some surprises in there and its a bit of excitement. i dont think id want to swap that buzz we got of brandon at the draft getting the #1 pick - shit was just epic vs. a spot on the wheel..... meh.

 

[Draco]

I don't like this idea and doubt it garners serious consideration. Helps the big market teams that can attract free agents.

I think they should use a 3 year record for lottery odds. Do an 8 team single elimination tourney for the 8th seed. That would nearly eliminate taking but still give higher draft picks to bad teams.

How dumb would it have been if Anthony Davis or Wiggins goes to the Heat?

 

[Draco]

The lottery should be less weighted. The worst team has a 25% which is way too high. Give them a 10 or 15% chance

 

[Draco]

Kind of my issue with this system as well. Big market teams gain a big advantage over time as they get the FA signing advantage as well as the same drafting odds as teams like Milwaukee. Also you have the chance of winning the NBA championship one year and picking first in the draft the next. I like keeping the picks with the teams that need the. IMO a better system that would reducing tanking and help teams that need it would be to give every time who didn't make the playoffs one ping pong ball in the lottery.

I agree they should even out lottery odds but I wouldn't make them exactly even. Teams might decide to tank out of the 8th seed since they'd have as good of odds at the #1 pick as the worst team in the league. There is also a big talent difference between the worst team and a team around .500 that just missed the playoffs.

 

[handiman]

I think everyone's missing the bigger point. Yeah, the proposal sucks. But more importantly, if this is a sign of what's to come from Adam Silver, David Stern might start looking pretty good in retrospect.

 

[cmeese47]

Want to fix things make it so every team who fails to make the playoffs has the same amount of balls for the lottery.

 

[magnifier661]

My only beef with the lottery is that it actually disadvantages teams in the worse conference. For example you might have a team finish with a record over .500 in the West, miss the playoffs and get a 13th or 14th pick whereas you'll probably see at least a few Leastern teams with sub .500 records get into the playoffs and pick in the 18th - 19th range. Maybe that doesn't seem like a big deal on a case by case basis, but add that up, multiple times over the course of a decade or more and you end up with a subtle, but definite shift of talent to the better conference.

Maybe one solution is to restrict the lottery to the 5 or 6 worst teams?

That's why I think a unified playoff would work. The top 6 teams are guaranteed seeds 1-8 and the next 10 are based on records

 

[BrianFromWA]

That's why I think a unified playoff would work. The top 6 teams are guaranteed seeds 1-8 and the next 10 are based on records

but if the top 6 teams are in the 1-8 seeds, and they go 2-6 in a 7-game series...

 

[magnifier661]

but if the top 6 teams are in the 1-8 seeds, and they go 2-6 in a 7-game series...

Most likely 3 out of the 6 divisions will have the best records. The other 3 might lose out. What it will do is keep the balance.

1 vs 16, 2 vs 15, 3 vs 14, 4 vs 13, 5 vs 12, 6 vs 11, 7 vs 10, 8 vs 9

The playoffs would be stacked with awesome entertainment!

 

[Natebishop3]

The NBA needs to do a better job developing talent. We're lucky if there's 30 quality players in a draft. Why is the NFL filled with so many more decent players? Why does baseball have such a good farm system?

The NBA is a joke.

 

[blue9]

Why is the NFL filled with so many more decent players? Why does baseball have such a good farm system?

Because in those sports players only have one thing to concentrate on? And for about 10 seconds at a time, with a chance to regroup after every single play? Whereas basketball is a fluid game where every player has to be aware of everything that's going on, and the rapid changes that occur?

I dunno, just spit-balling...

 

[PtldPlatypus]

I don't like this idea and doubt it garners serious consideration. Helps the big market teams that can attract free agents.

I think they should use a 3 year record for lottery odds. Do an 8 team single elimination tourney for the 8th seed. That would nearly eliminate taking but still give higher draft picks to bad teams.

How dumb would it have been if Anthony Davis or Wiggins goes to the Heat?

Draco for commissioner! I love the idea of a three-day single elimination tourney for the 8 seed. I'd reward that tourney's winner in the draft too. There's your ticket out of mediocrity right there.

 

[Natebishop3]

Because in those sports players only have one thing to concentrate on? And for about 10 seconds at a time, with a chance to regroup after every single play? Whereas basketball is a fluid game where every player has to be aware of everything that's going on, and the rapid changes that occur?

I dunno, just spit-balling...

Riiiiight.... that's why we have shooting specialists in the league, and shot blocking specialists, and guys like Rubio who can't hit the broad side of a barn, but can pass?

You're only confirming my point... that the NBA doesn't develop their talent very well.

 

[Draco]

The NBA needs to do a better job developing talent. We're lucky if there's 30 quality players in a draft. Why is the NFL filled with so many more decent players? Why does baseball have such a good farm system?

The NBA is a joke.

Umm the NBA has 5 starters. The NFL has 22 plus special teams.

 

[Natebishop3]

Umm the NBA has 5 starters. The NFL has 22 plus special teams.

Yeah, but think about this... the NBA has one good round of talent per year. If that. So the entire planet can't muster more than 30 really good players every year? Yes, the NFL has an ungodly number of draft rounds, but you'd think the NBA could at least have one good round. How many actually decent players come out of the draft every year?

 

[Draco]

Draco for commissioner! I love the idea of a three-day single elimination tourney for the 8 seed. I'd reward that tourney's winner in the draft too. There's your ticket out of mediocrity right there.

Thx. Yeah its a great idea. I'd love to say I came up with it but there are a number of articles on it as a "plain-in" tourney.

One change I would do is the night when the playin is finished have the #1 playoff seed pick their first round opponent, #2 seed pick the next opponent, then #3 picks and #4 gets whoever is left. That way the #1 seed wouldn’t be penalized if a strong team wins the playin tourney and is a tougher matchup than the #7 seed. Also it would create more rivalry in the playoffs as “this team wanted to play us because they think we are weak!” Each round would be reseeded in the same manor so being the #1 seed would be a larger advantage which puts more of an emphasis on the regular season.

 

[Natebishop3]

I say make a gameshow of it.

Wheel of Fortune: NBA edition.

 

[Draco]

Yeah, but think about this... the NBA has one good round of talent per year. If that. So the entire planet can't muster more than 30 really good players every year? Yes, the NFL has an ungodly number of draft rounds, but you'd think the NBA could at least have one good round. How many actually decent players come out of the draft every year?

They only look bad because the competition is at such a high level. How many players look awesome in the Olympics, oversees or college but are crap in the NBA? Happens all the time. The window to shoot are so quck in the NBA, defenses are so fast and everyone is extremely athletic. Even fringe NBA players are amazing at basketball. Old geezers like Michael Holton still dominate today in rec leagues and are very impressive to watch in person. When you see an NBA game you are watching some of the best 200 basketball players on the planet.

 

[Natebishop3]

They only look bad because the competition is at such a high level. How many players look awesome in the Olympics, oversees or college but are crap in the NBA? Happens all the time. The window to shoot are so quck in the NBA, defenses are so fast and everyone is extremely athletic. Even fringe NBA players are amazing at basketball. Old geezers like Michael Holton still dominate today in rec leagues and are very impressive to watch in person. When you see an NBA game you are already watching some of the best 200 basketball players on the planet.

They say the same thing about the NFL though. Fast defenses, everyone is crazy athletic, etc etc etc.

I just think the NBA doesn't do a good job of developing talent. Take the Blazers for example. Guys like Barton, Leonard, and Crabbe should all be playing on our NBDL team. Instead, they're sitting on our bench collecting dust. The NBA drafts on potential, probably more than any other league. It's better now than it was, with the huge influx of shitty Euro players and high school busts that flooded the market in the early 2000's, but it's still really bad.

You're right, there's only 5 positions and there's only so many minutes, so the NBA needs to do a better job of promoting the D League, scouting, and developing the guys that don't get playing time.