Rockets, Celtics Pushing Idea To Have Draft After Free Agency Begins

[Roy H.]

... the Houston Rockets ... proposed at a league meeting that the NBA should start free agency at least a week -- and likely more -- before the draft. The Rockets are not the first team to contemplate that notion; Mike Zarren, Boston's assistant general manager, used his very first tweet as a plea to flip the order of the draft and free agency. (The concept is popular across Boston's brain trust; Zarren noted in his tweet that Austin Ainge, Boston's director of player personnel, sold him on the idea.) Other leagues, including the National Football League, schedule free agency first.

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/23911959/zach-lowe-houston-rockets-proposal-flip-nba-draft-free-agency

Interesting idea. I think I would be on board with this.

[saltlover]

... the Houston Rockets ... proposed at a league meeting that the NBA should start free agency at least a week -- and likely more -- before the draft. The Rockets are not the first team to contemplate that notion; Mike Zarren, Boston's assistant general manager, used his very first tweet as a plea to flip the order of the draft and free agency. (The concept is popular across Boston's brain trust; Zarren noted in his tweet that Austin Ainge, Boston's director of player personnel, sold him on the idea.) Other leagues, including the National Football League, schedule free agency first.

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/23911959/zach-lowe-houston-rockets-proposal-flip-nba-draft-free-agency

Interesting idea. I think I would be on board with this.

Yeah, Zarren went on a rare Twitter rant with this idea last year around this time.

[Csfan1984]

I feel it's best to have draft first but to not need to have a 30 day wait to trade rookies if they sign a deal. That would allow teams to open up roster spots or move guys if they land FAs.

[saltlover]

I feel it's best to have draft first but to not need to have a 30 day wait to trade rookies if they sign a deal. That would allow teams to open up roster spots or move guys if they land FAs.

Well, that’s codified into the CBA so is not easily changeable at this point.  The draft could be moved to mid-July unilaterally by the owners.

[boscel33]

I would love to see this.  This method works very well in the NFL.

[Donoghus]

I think its a great idea.  It makes almost too much sense.

[Fafnir]

Either way works, I think it benefits teams to have the uncertainty of FA before the relative certainty of the draft.

[Moranis]

I think it would take a lot away from the draft.  I'm not necessarily opposed to the idea, I just think it would diminish draft night a lot.  I think it would also greatly affect free agency.  Much more so than a sport like the NFL. 

Take Boston, if it didn't think it could draft Williams at 27, might it have taken a flier on Noel in free agency.  If Boston had Noel locked in, would it have still taken Williams or would it try to move Noel or Williams. 

I just think a lot teams just wouldn't sign a bunch of the mid-tier or lower free agents till after the draft to avoid that type of situation, which puts teams in a much worse position then now (because a lot of those signings wouldn't happen till after summer league started).  Then what do you do with summer league, do you delay it or just keep it the same time but with a lot less time to prepare your rookies.

Sure, for the teams chasing James, George, Cousins, etc. it would be nice to know their decisions before the draft, but I think it really is only those top tier guys that would have any real benefit to the draft being move.  So for a team like the Cavs, knowing James decision before the draft would have had a pretty dramatic effect on what they could have done in the draft.  For example, if they knew James was going to stay they could have more easily moved their draft pick for Kemba Walker, or something like that.  Or on the other side, if they knew James was leaving they could have moved Love for a draft pick, like Love for 4 and Parsons, or something like that.  But outside of those few players/teams, I don't think moving the draft until after free agency really matters and I do think it would cause a lot of issues for the mid-tier to lower free agents.

[johnnygreen]

I do like the idea, especially if is helps to promote more trade activity. The article did go over different scenarios of what could be involved with this change. However, I didn't notice anything if a team went over the cap in free agency and how that could effect their drafting ability/process. Does the team have to use some sort of cap hold depending on their draft slot? Would that prevent a team (over the cap) from being able to trade up in the draft?

[johnnygreen]

I think it would take a lot away from the draft.  I'm not necessarily opposed to the idea, I just think it would diminish draft night a lot.  I think it would also greatly affect free agency.  Much more so than a sport like the NFL. 

Take Boston, if it didn't think it could draft Williams at 27, might it have taken a flier on Noel in free agency.  If Boston had Noel locked in, would it have still taken Williams or would it try to move Noel or Williams. 

I just think a lot teams just wouldn't sign a bunch of the mid-tier or lower free agents till after the draft to avoid that type of situation, which puts teams in a much worse position then now (because a lot of those signings wouldn't happen till after summer league started).  Then what do you do with summer league, do you delay it or just keep it the same time but with a lot less time to prepare your rookies.

Sure, for the teams chasing James, George, Cousins, etc. it would be nice to know their decisions before the draft, but I think it really is only those top tier guys that would have any real benefit to the draft being move.  So for a team like the Cavs, knowing James decision before the draft would have had a pretty dramatic effect on what they could have done in the draft.  For example, if they knew James was going to stay they could have more easily moved their draft pick for Kemba Walker, or something like that.  Or on the other side, if they knew James was leaving they could have moved Love for a draft pick, like Love for 4 and Parsons, or something like that.  But outside of those few players/teams, I don't think moving the draft until after free agency really matters and I do think it would cause a lot of issues for the mid-tier to lower free agents.

As I was reading that article, I was waiting to see if the mid to lower tier free agents were going to be addressed, and how the move would affect them. I agree, teams that are saving cap room are doing so for major free agents and not necessarily the secondary players. To me, the mid to lower tier free agents can, in a way, be replaced simply through the draft. If a team missed out on key free agents, then they could concentrate on the draft and developing those players, instead of throwing near max type money to mid-tier free agents that end up crippling a franchise.

[Yoki_IsTheName]

Is this so that LeBron could make his decision before the draft so his previous team would know what to do with their pick?

On a serious not, I think this is a good idea. Sort out everything before picking.

[Birdman]

I like it..NFL does it..have free agent start around june 23rd and draft first week of july

[Moranis]

I think it would take a lot away from the draft.  I'm not necessarily opposed to the idea, I just think it would diminish draft night a lot.  I think it would also greatly affect free agency.  Much more so than a sport like the NFL. 

Take Boston, if it didn't think it could draft Williams at 27, might it have taken a flier on Noel in free agency.  If Boston had Noel locked in, would it have still taken Williams or would it try to move Noel or Williams. 

I just think a lot teams just wouldn't sign a bunch of the mid-tier or lower free agents till after the draft to avoid that type of situation, which puts teams in a much worse position then now (because a lot of those signings wouldn't happen till after summer league started).  Then what do you do with summer league, do you delay it or just keep it the same time but with a lot less time to prepare your rookies.

Sure, for the teams chasing James, George, Cousins, etc. it would be nice to know their decisions before the draft, but I think it really is only those top tier guys that would have any real benefit to the draft being move.  So for a team like the Cavs, knowing James decision before the draft would have had a pretty dramatic effect on what they could have done in the draft.  For example, if they knew James was going to stay they could have more easily moved their draft pick for Kemba Walker, or something like that.  Or on the other side, if they knew James was leaving they could have moved Love for a draft pick, like Love for 4 and Parsons, or something like that.  But outside of those few players/teams, I don't think moving the draft until after free agency really matters and I do think it would cause a lot of issues for the mid-tier to lower free agents.

As I was reading that article, I was waiting to see if the mid to lower tier free agents were going to be addressed, and how the move would affect them. I agree, teams that are saving cap room are doing so for major free agents and not necessarily the secondary players. To me, the mid to lower tier free agents can, in a way, be replaced simply through the draft. If a team missed out on key free agents, then they could concentrate on the draft and developing those players, instead of throwing near max type money to mid-tier free agents that end up crippling a franchise.

But if a team has 1 draft pick, it may only leave 1 spot for the draft, which means it won't be able to be active on draft day.  It won't be able to pick up an extra draft pick or do a 1 for 2 trade, etc.  That is why I don't think teams would be active in the lower to mid-tier free agent market until after the draft.  It is more then just cap space at play, it is roster spots, flexibility, etc.  If you push the draft back, then you push most of free agency back. 

I just don't think it is all that viable.  This isn't football with non-guaranteed contracts and gigantic rosters. 

[action781]

I think it would take a lot away from the draft.  I'm not necessarily opposed to the idea, I just think it would diminish draft night a lot.  I think it would also greatly affect free agency.  Much more so than a sport like the NFL. 

I just think a lot teams just wouldn't sign a bunch of the mid-tier or lower free agents till after the draft to avoid that type of situation, which puts teams in a much worse position then now (because a lot of those signings wouldn't happen till after summer league started).  Then what do you do with summer league, do you delay it or just keep it the same time but with a lot less time to prepare your rookies.

Sure, for the teams chasing James, George, Cousins, etc. it would be nice to know their decisions before the draft, but I think it really is only those top tier guys that would have any real benefit to the draft being move.  So for a team like the Cavs, knowing James decision before the draft would have had a pretty dramatic effect on what they could have done in the draft.  For example, if they knew James was going to stay they could have more easily moved their draft pick for Kemba Walker, or something like that.  Or on the other side, if they knew James was leaving they could have moved Love for a draft pick, like Love for 4 and Parsons, or something like that.  But outside of those few players/teams, I don't think moving the draft until after free agency really matters and I do think it would cause a lot of issues for the mid-tier to lower free agents.

I completely disagree with your first paragraph.  I think a really nice result of swapping the order would be that the NBA draft can actually be about the draft, without so much commentary on speculating which free agents might go where.  This night should be about the draftees, not about what the Lakers roster might look like depending on what free agents they might sign.

I think your point exactly hits why the draft should be moved behind the start of free agency.  It's not the uncertainty of the mid/lower tier free agents that is the "uncertainty of FA" being discussed.  Where the big names fall are basically the entirety of NBA free agency.  (Smart) Teams aren't changing/trading their draft picks based on if they can sign Brook Lopez or Jamal Crawford to a two year contract.  I don't think its going to hurt or cause issues for the mid-lower tier of free agents... they money and cap space isn't going away... it just delays their eventual signings.

[action781]

What do we think a proposed schedule would look like? 

July 1 - Teams can start talking to free agents (I think you need two weeks after NBA Finals which we know can go at least until June 17 potentially)
July 8 - Signings can become official
July 15ish - NBA Draft
August 1 through August 15 - Summer League