It's time for the Celtics' Owners to take action

[BitterJim]

The owners should step in and get some sort of system implemented to discourage this type of thing. Something to make sure that being the worst team doesn't get you the #1 overall pick.

Maybe take all of the team's that missed the playoffs and give them a chance at the top 2 or 3 picks? To be fair to legitimately bad teams you'd need to make it a weighted system (with the worst team getting the best odds at #1), but don't make the odds overwhelming - maybe give the worst team a 25% chance or so at #1? Something like that

They'd need some way to pick these in a weighted system, though, maybe the way they do it with lottery balls? Every team gets a certain number of combinations? Just spit balling.

[rochrist]

the Sixers are 7-3 in their last ten. Why are you bringing this up now?

[Ogaju]

This thread is an obvious troll as no one would be dumb enough to hold OP's opinions.

You are likely thinking like a normal person which is to play nice and let people screw you over. Which is what the 76er's are doing to the NBA. 

The impetus for this post was the recent actions of our current President and how he goes about getting things done. He acts fearlessly in an attempt to accomplish his goals and deals with the consequences later. He's not worried about how people feel. He knows he has a large constituent base that supports his ideals. His negotiation strategy appears to be to shoot for the moon and hope to get somewhere get closer to it. (FWIW: This post is not about our current political state or party politics...I do not care for DT as a person.)
 
My feeling, after reading a number of these posts, is that most of us feel the 76er's are flagrant violators of principles of fair play. But, if the owners were to challenge the validity of this strategy...they would have to deal with: 1. how to punish with objectivity without previous regulations and 2. how to deal with the consequences of what Ogaju wrote in an earlier post. 

"The NBA is crippled because acknowledging tanking in the public sphere is a direct indictment on the integrity of the game therefore the NBA will not publicly acknowledge tanking until it has an overwhelming response that will immediately restore the faith of the consumers of the NBA product." 

If the owners feel that way, then it's up to us fans to take action and bring this to the attention of the legal or legislative authorities. I'm doubtful there is much support for such action, but it sure seems warranted. If rules were not broken, then some new ones need to be implemented. The owners don't seem to be moving in this direction.

I doubt that you can get congressional action here because tanking does not affect public health, and basketball does not have an anti-trust exception to warrant congressional oversight. I am not sure if you can use consumer protection laws to ensure that a team charging big dollars for tickets must make the best effort to field a good team. Question is how do you determine 'best effort to field a good team'?

[flybono]

This League in a few years will be the NHL of a few years ago.. Lockout for a year.
Until the disparity in Contracts is identified with marginal players making 10 plus mill, Above average players 15 + and Stars over 20 not to mention Superstars uniting to form super teams, College players leaving 2 years to early, the game officiated the way it is and if Cleveland lost 40 mill what did the Pelicans or Magic lose?

The NBA is a good game when two good teams are competing. But, there are only a few elite teams. In most cases outside of the Playoffs, regular season games are hard to watch..

The lockout is coming

[hpantazo]

the Sixers are 7-3 in their last ten. Why are you bringing this up now?

[max215]

This League in a few years will be the NHL of a few years ago.. Lockout for a year.
Until the disparity in Contracts is identified with marginal players making 10 plus mill, Above average players 15 + and Stars over 20 not to mention Superstars uniting to form super teams, College players leaving 2 years to early, the game officiated the way it is and if Cleveland lost 40 mill what did the Pelicans or Magic lose?

The NBA is a good game when two good teams are competing. But, there are only a few elite teams. In most cases outside of the Playoffs, regular season games are hard to watch..

The lockout is coming

What? This is utterly nonsensical. The NBA and NBPA signed a new CBA about a week ago. There literally cannot possibly be a lockout for nearly a decade.

[flybono]

This League in a few years will be the NHL of a few years ago.. Lockout for a year.
Until the disparity in Contracts is identified with marginal players making 10 plus mill, Above average players 15 + and Stars over 20 not to mention Superstars uniting to form super teams, College players leaving 2 years to early, the game officiated the way it is and if Cleveland lost 40 mill what did the Pelicans or Magic lose?

The NBA is a good game when two good teams are competing. But, there are only a few elite teams. In most cases outside of the Playoffs, regular season games are hard to watch..

The lockout is coming

What? This is utterly nonsensical. The NBA and NBPA signed a new CBA about a week ago. There literally cannot possibly be a lockout for nearly a decade.

At the current rate this League will not survive another Ten. MLB had a deal done and still were trying to eliminate the Twins and Rays several years later...

The game as constituted sucks. If Cleveland is correct in losing big smoke, how do you think they are doing in smaller markets where the Teams suck..

Owners can pull the plug anytime. Its coming...

[fantankerous]

This thread is an obvious troll as no one would be dumb enough to hold OP's opinions.

The impetus for this post was the recent actions of our current President and how he goes about getting things done. He acts fearlessly in an attempt to accomplish his goals and deals with the consequences later. He's not worried about how people feel. He knows he has a large constituent base that supports his ideals. His negotiation strategy appears to be to shoot for the moon and hope to get somewhere get closer to it. (FWIW: This post is not about our current political state or party politics...I do not care for DT as a person.)
 

This seems like a pretty accurate depiction....of Sam Hinkie.

Rants like the OP's leave me pretty pessimistic about humanity. 

[max215]

This League in a few years will be the NHL of a few years ago.. Lockout for a year.
Until the disparity in Contracts is identified with marginal players making 10 plus mill, Above average players 15 + and Stars over 20 not to mention Superstars uniting to form super teams, College players leaving 2 years to early, the game officiated the way it is and if Cleveland lost 40 mill what did the Pelicans or Magic lose?

The NBA is a good game when two good teams are competing. But, there are only a few elite teams. In most cases outside of the Playoffs, regular season games are hard to watch..

The lockout is coming

What? This is utterly nonsensical. The NBA and NBPA signed a new CBA about a week ago. There literally cannot possibly be a lockout for nearly a decade.

At the current rate this League will not survive another Ten. MLB had a deal done and still were trying to eliminate the Twins and Rays several years later...

The game as constituted sucks. If Cleveland is correct in losing big smoke, how do you think they are doing in smaller markets where the Teams suck..

Owners can pull the plug anytime. Its coming...

Okay...

[BitterJim]

This League in a few years will be the NHL of a few years ago.. Lockout for a year.
Until the disparity in Contracts is identified with marginal players making 10 plus mill, Above average players 15 + and Stars over 20 not to mention Superstars uniting to form super teams, College players leaving 2 years to early, the game officiated the way it is and if Cleveland lost 40 mill what did the Pelicans or Magic lose?

The NBA is a good game when two good teams are competing. But, there are only a few elite teams. In most cases outside of the Playoffs, regular season games are hard to watch..

The lockout is coming

What? This is utterly nonsensical. The NBA and NBPA signed a new CBA about a week ago. There literally cannot possibly be a lockout for nearly a decade.

At the current rate this League will not survive another Ten. MLB had a deal done and still were trying to eliminate the Twins and Rays several years later...

The game as constituted sucks. If Cleveland is correct in losing big smoke, how do you think they are doing in smaller markets where the Teams suck..

Owners can pull the plug anytime. Its coming...

Cleveland had a $54 million luxury tax bill last year.  Considering that most teams don't pay the luxury tax (and have lower payrolls, not to mention revenue sharing), you're comparing apples to oranges.

Steve Ballmer didn't pay $2 billion dollars to buy a team in a failing league.  Heck, even the Bucks sold for over half a billion dollars in 2014.  The NBA is not a failing business

[Bobshot]

Well-intentioned post.

The author of the Sixers tanking strategy was Sam Hinkie, and you know what happened to him. The League very quietly replaced him with Jerry Colangelo, and his son is now running the team. It appears they are just about through with tanking, and they are on their way back. Though I think it will take longer than some are suggesting.

The NBA is the only major sport where tanking is fashionable. Now ask yourself why? Well, it's the only sport that has a draft lottery, where about 13 or so teams have a chance to win the #1 pick. The worse record you have, the better your chances. Except Cleveland came from far back to win the lottery a few years ago. Funny it was the same year King James decided to rejoin them. Hmm. They got Love out of that lottery.

Since then, everybody is trying to hit the jackpot like the Cavs did. So maybe there isn't much incentive to win if you're at half season with a losing record?

My guess is close to the trade deadline, some teams will be offering harems to Danny for those Nets picks. To which Danny will reply: Just give me Butler. I'm married.

[liam]

The owners should step in and get some sort of system implemented to discourage this type of thing. Something to make sure that being the worst team doesn't get you the #1 overall pick.

Maybe take all of the team's that missed the playoffs and give them a chance at the top 2 or 3 picks? To be fair to legitimately bad teams you'd need to make it a weighted system (with the worst team getting the best odds at #1), but don't make the odds overwhelming - maybe give the worst team a 25% chance or so at #1? Something like that

They'd need some way to pick these in a weighted system, though, maybe the way they do it with lottery balls? Every team gets a certain number of combinations? Just spit balling.

The think the draft should just go in upside down order no lotto. The 14 record gets the 1 pick, 13th record gets the 2nd pick, 12th gets 3 all the way up. That encourages teams to play as hard as posible to either make the playoffs or get that top pick.

[wiley]

I finally agree with LB. 

The Sixers tanking was highly obnoxious but was done openly and within the rules, and the players on the floor played hard and if I remember correctly fairly decent defense.  I would not be opposed to measure to prevent the next Philly style tank however. Not good for the league, the city or the players involved. 

The Lakers tanking last year and this is worse.  It is wink wink tanking as opposed to a GM admitting to a strategy of tanking.