New Orleans will get the #1 amd #3 pick

[nickagneta]

I know. You're thinking "A conspiracy theory thread about a
fixed draft lottery." Well, yep, that's what it is.

Today David Stern gave the 2014 NBA All-Star game to New Orleans.

You know, New Orleans. The city that was nearly wiped off the face of the planet. The city that is nearly half the size it used to be. The city with very little corporate business in it anymore. The city with an NBA basketball franchise but without an NBA owner.

And why does this team have no owner? Because George Shinn, their former owner and official second worst and cheapest owner in NBA history, gave the team back to the NBA(sold it to them) because he ran it into the ground and because it is in a city that can not sustain an NBA team any longer.

He also couldn't find a buyer for the team. And, not coincidentally, can David Stern or the NBA. The NBA, in possibly the worst case of conflict of interest in business history, still owns the Hornets 16 months later.

Earlier in the year, David Stern decided to reject a trade of Chris Paul to the Lakers so he could pick up a non-protected lottery pick from the Clippers instead. So now the Hornets own the 2nd best chance to land a top three pick, the 10th best chance to land a top three pick and an All-Star game 2 years in the future but don't have an owner.

Why? Because no business man that wants to actually, you know, generate a profit, wants to buy a team in a city and state that is football crazy, has the Saints and LSU playing close, and doesn't have the population, average per capita income or populace to sustain an NBA franchise when two proven major sports entertain teams are in the area already.

So what is David Stern to do? Giving New Orleans an All-Star game is ridiculous. Stern doesn't even know if a franchise will be there in 2 years.....or does he?

Is this and some other, as yet, unannounced good news for the New Orleans franchise going to be part of the deal for Stern to close on the sale of the Hornets to a buyer that will keep the franchise in New Orleans?

Orlando was a franchise that was dubiously placed once upon a time. They then got back to back #1 picks and rose to the top of the league. They lost the best big man of the last 25 years and sure enough, they get another #1 pick, because they are a franchise in a small market that needs stars to keep the franchise relevant.

Portland and Seattle were other small market teams needing a boost because of horrible teams and situations. They got a #1 and #2 pick in the same draft. Cleveland lost the game's biggest star and the next year they get the #1 pick. Chicago, a team that was relatively a disaster after being THE franchise of the 90s, gets a #1 pick and a future MVP.

So is it so hard to believe that Stern has promised the All Star game and 2 of the top 3 picks in this draft to a future owner so long as they agree to keep the Hornets in New Orleans for a minimum of 5 years?

I don't think so. Yeah, yeah, yeah. The accounting firm of Blah, Blah and Blah is hired to oversee everything. Yeah. We all know all accountants and lawyers are honest and never fudge numbers or do questionable things.

I say the fix is in. New Orleans is a dead franchise and they got the All-Star game and they will get 2 of the top 3 picks. Bank on it. And then the announcement will come that the Hornets have been sold.

HOLY COINCIDENCE BATMAN!!!!!!

[Celtics18]

I thought the owner of the Saints just purchased the Hornets. 

I hope you are right about New Orleans winning the lottery.  I would love to see that city have a competitive NBA basketball team.

[Donoghus]

Tom Benson bought the team last week but wouldn't be shocked if the Hornets ended up with either Davis or Kidd-Gilgrist.

[Fafnir]

Put on your tinfoil hat tonight?

Other teams ownership wouldn't stand for fixing the lottery, just crazy fan talk about nothing. The potential gain for the league is very small, the fallout for stern would be massive if exposed. He wouldn't bother messing with it.

Besides the ping pong machines aren't easy to rig and multiple teams observe. The second and third picks have to be drawn after all.

[bdm860]

I will come back and TP you up if this prophecy comes to fruition.

[The Walker Wiggle]

I will come back and TP you up if this prophecy comes to fruition.

Since Saints owner Tom Benson placed the winning bid for the Hornets three days ago - $338 million, Nick's going to have to amend some of the details of his plot.

Bill Simmons laid out a similar scandal just a day before the negotiations. As well as another possible scenario. The departing-New Jersey Nets first round pick is only top 3 protected, so...

If the Nets somehow won the Unibrow Sweepstakes (and got to keep that pick), that would be even fishier than the Hornets winning the lottery. Hmmmmm … things "work out" so the Nets move to their fancy new building in Brooklyn with Deron Williams, Jay-Z and the 'Brow? If there was ever a season for the league to put live cameras in the Ping-Pong room so we could see with our own eyes what happens, it's this season.

It's going to be a fun. I'm certainly pulling for the Hornets over Jordan's Bobcats. And while the Kings fan base deserves a stroke of luck, the Maloofs certainly don't and would likely use Davis as further leverage in a move. Toronto maybe?

[fairweatherfan]

The odds are good that New Orleans will get one of the top 3 picks, but 2 is awfully unlikely, despite Sota's continuing freefall.

The fun thing is, as Simmons alluded to, pretty much no matter who wins this lottery there's a prefabricated narrative waiting about why the league rigged it to work out "just that way".  Look how many people still think the 07 lottery was rigged just to screw us, because David Stern hates having franchise players  in big markets.  Confirmation bias is a hell of a drug.

[nickagneta]

Shows you how much I have been in touch with the sports world over the last three weeks. Putting up houses for sale, selling business, buying house, getting kid to visit his new school at Syracuse, completely missed the news on the Saints owner buying the team.

Still, might make my theory even more plausible. They buy the team, get the ASG, and get the picks in a package deal. I mean this is the same NFL owner who's coaches just got thrown out for a year because they offered bounties on opposing teams players, right? Yeah, owners like that are beyond reproach when it comes to corrupt side deals.

Regarding Stern has too much to lose if something like this is exposed, you mean Stern is losing so much because his referee point shaving scandal became public? Yeah, that caused major problems for Stern and the NBA and the officiating is sooooooooo much better today for having that scandal exposed.

[Lucky17]

I want Detroit to win that #1 pick. A Unibrow-Moose tandem in the frontcourt would be awesome.

[guava_wrench]

Wow. Funny stuff.

What is great is that every possible outcome has been put forward by some conspiracy theorist so someone will be able to say, 'I told you so'.

At least they are saying it ahead of time though. What will be more annoying is the people who spring up after the fact and come up with conspiracy stories for whatever ends up being the outcome.

[guava_wrench]

Shows you how much I have been in touch with the sports world over the last three weeks. Putting up houses for sale, selling business, buying house, getting kid to visit his new school at Syracuse, completely missed the news on the Saints owner buying the team.

Still, might make my theory even more plausible. They buy the team, get the ASG, and get the picks in a package deal. I mean this is the same NFL owner who's coaches just got thrown out for a year because they offered bounties on opposing teams players, right? Yeah, owners like that are beyond reproach when it comes to corrupt side deals.

Regarding Stern has too much to lose if something like this is exposed, you mean Stern is losing so much because his referee point shaving scandal became public? Yeah, that caused major problems for Stern and the NBA and the officiating is sooooooooo much better today for having that scandal exposed.

Damage control!

[democritic]

I want Detroit to win that #1 pick. A Unibrow-Moose tandem in the frontcourt would be awesome.

TP. That's what I'm pulling for.

I miss Detroit being relevant.

[mqtcelticsfan]

Wow. Funny stuff.

What is great is that every possible outcome has been put forward by some conspiracy theorist so someone will be able to say, 'I told you so'.

At least they are saying it ahead of time though. What will be more annoying is the people who spring up after the fact and come up with conspiracy stories for whatever ends up being the outcome.

Yeah, unless the pick goes to the Bobcats (best odds) or the Raptors (Nobody would ever fix the lottery to put a guy in Canada) someone will call shenanigans.

[stylo617617]

i hope clevland gets it ... anthony davis & irving would be a scary duo for years 2 come

[LarBrd33]

i hope clevland gets it ... anthony davis & irving would be a scary duo for years 2 come

Same here.  What Irving did as a 19 year old rookie PG is RIDICULOUS:  19 points, 5.7 assists, 4 rebounds, 1 steal... 47% shooting, 41% from three and 87% from the line  ... those shooting percentages are outrageous.  Considering he was playing the hardest position in the NBA and was the team's best player be default (meaning he got the most attention from defenders), I don't think he's gotten nearly enough hype.  Sticking him with a can't miss beastly defensive big man like Davis would be pretty fun.

Although it just means that the LeBron-back-to-Cleveland buzz will just get deafening as these kids start peaking right as Bron hits free agency again.  I believe he can opt out after the 2013/14 season.  If the Cavs have Davis and Irving they will both still be on rookie contracts.