OK so first of all, this post probably have been made over all-star weekend. However, I have been lurking on this board (and CB) for over 10 years, so what difference will a few extra days mean for my first post.
I have been thinking a lot about all of the drama over player movement in the league. We are at the point where it is overshadowing the actual product on the court. I have also been thinking about the new all-star format as well as the state of college basketball and these thoughts led me to an idea for how to drastically reshape the NBA. I acknowledge in advance that the idea has many logistical issues, so while you are more than welcome to point that out to me, I thought it would be interesting to see if could find a way to make it work.
The idea:
A 5 round “Starters” draft each offseason.
How it works:
A five round draft is held each offseason. Player salaries are one-year contracts with pre-determined compensation being a percentage of the cap and the percentage being determined by draft position. Players can opt in or opt out of the draft process. The remaining roster spots are filled through a more traditional free agency period. The idea is that players who prefer more long-term security can join free agency, but their earning potential is drastically limited. For example, say you could only sign for a max length of 3 years for a total amount equal to the mean salary for all drafted players. So you get security at a price.
Draft position will be based on record, but order will be reversed in alternating rounds. Team that chooses 1st in round 1 chooses 30th in round 2. Also, the worst record chooses 30th for round 1 and the 2nd worst chooses 1st.
Pros:
Talent parity
Disincentivize tanking
Disincentivize 1 and done drafting of college players
Less media hoopla
At the end of the day, the majority of fans root for laundry. Shouldn’t hurt fan interest.
Organizational success becomes more dependent on coaching and scouting.
The draft would be a HUGE event.
Cons:
Players have significantly less power, hard to get through collective bargaining.
Less media hoopla (NBA as a business wants the attention)
Logistics (players who want more money need to uproot themselves each year)
Any thoughts on this ridiculous idea are appreciated. If any sport could bring fantasy leagues to life, it’s the NBA.