NBA: Proposed Draft Change - The Wheel

[DSMCy]

Interesting proposal to change the current draft setup for the NBA. Instead of the ping pong balls, teams would be arranged on a wheel. Each year, teams would move one space to the right.
It says teams would know their draft spot up to 30 years in advance.
This would also eliminate tanking to try to move up in the draft order.




The NBA's Possible Solution for Tanking: Good-bye to the Lottery, Hello to the Wheel - The Triangle Blog - Grantland

 

[brentblum]

Really interesting idea. I wonder how this would impact the college game as well. Let's say you are Andrew Wiggins and know you will be the #1 pick...the Raptors have the #1 pick this year, but the Lakers have the #1 pick the next year. Do you stay in school an extra year so you can play in LA?

 

[Rhoadhoused]

Very interesting.

The thing about tanking though, is the people that would be in charge to order it are the people who will be fired if they do poorly. So the coach has to have immunity or tanking doesnt work.

Although in the NBA it is a lot easier to do than, say, the NFL.

 

[DSMCy]

Really interesting idea. I wonder how this would impact the college game as well. Let's say you are Andrew Wiggins and know you will be the #1 pick...the Raptors have the #1 pick this year, but the Lakers have the #1 pick the next year. Do you stay in school an extra year so you can play in LA?

Very interesting angle I hadn't thought of. I can definitely see this happening. Still gotta think most guys would leave college for the money though.

I'm probably one of the few people that doesn't really have a problem with the current draft. To me, there's a reason the Lakers, Celtics, Bulls, etc. are always good and it doesn't have anything to do with the draft. Give the Bobcats the #1 pick for 5 straight years and I think they find a way to miss the playoffs.

 

[HoraceGrant]

One issue I could see with it is just that 30 years is a long time, and by then they may have changed the draft yet again. If they would change the draft in 13 years then some teams would most likely not get completely equal draft picks. Also seems to kinda kill small market teams....assumes that each franchise is equal and this is the best way to create an even playing field, but in reality the NBA is far from an even playing field (e.g. Lakers have a better chance to land free agents than Indy or Toronto), so if they get the same picks and also get free agents it seems like the big market teams would just build dynasties.

 

[ISUCubswin]

I don't like it. If the Heat were the #1 pick this year, they'd be even more crazy talented if they got Wiggins.

I'm not a huge fan of the lottery but I feel this could make teams even more stacked than they already are, and thats not what a draft is about.

Plus, when trading draft picks for future drafts, thats a risk you're willing to take for a player. Thats part of the excitement.

 

[CyArob]

Hate it. It would make the league more unbalanced.

 

[Jordanj6502]

Very interesting angle I hadn't thought of. I can definitely see this happening. Still gotta think most guys would leave college for the money though.

I'm probably one of the few people that doesn't really have a problem with the current draft. To me, there's a reason the Lakers, Celtics, Bulls, etc. are always good and it doesn't have anything to do with the draft. Give the Bobcats the #1 pick for 5 straight years and I think they find a way to miss the playoffs.

Bulls are not "always good" they are just recently good and their main talent was from the draft. Jordan drafted by Chicago. Pippen was drafted by Seattle but came to the Bulls via a draft trade. And Rose was drafted by Chicago after the bulls won the lottery with terrible odds.

 

[MNCyGuy]

I don't like it. If the Heat were the #1 pick this year, they'd be even more crazy talented if they got Wiggins.

I'm not a huge fan of the lottery but I feel this could make teams even more stacked than they already are, and thats not what a draft is about.

Plus, when trading draft picks for future drafts, thats a risk you're willing to take for a player. Thats part of the excitement.

You are assuming that the Heat would be able to keep everybody around. Basically everybody on that roster is a free agent after this year, would they resign them all if they had a lottery pick coming in? The salary cap would still be the great equalizer, especially with how short the max length of contracts are now.

Also so zach lowe is awesome.

 

[Clonehomer]

Don't like it. If a team loses a lot of players to retirement it may take years for them to regroup. In the current system it gives fans hope. If the bottom teams don't get the top picks then you might as well shut down the small market teams now instead of awaiting for them to go bankrupt.

 

[DSMCy]

Bulls are not "always good" they are just recently good and their main talent was from the draft. Jordan drafted by Chicago. Pippen was drafted by Seattle but came to the Bulls via a draft trade. And Rose was drafted by Chicago after the bulls won the lottery with terrible odds.

Fine, substitute "Bulls" with "other historically good team".

My point is the front office has a lot to do with how teams succeed. Obviously the draft has a lot to do with that but there are other ways to compete for championships.

 

[peteypie]

What is wrong with current system?

 

[MNCyGuy]

Don't like it. If a team loses a lot of players to retirement it may take years for them to regroup. In the current system it gives fans hope. If the bottom teams don't get the top picks then you might as well shut down the small market teams now instead of awaiting for them to go bankrupt.

If you read the article the wheel is structured so you get a great pick at least once every five years. You'd also know what your future picks will be, so a smart front office should be able to plan around the scenario you describe. Besides, it's not likely getting a bunch of top picks right away is a guarantee for success (see the Cleveland Cavaliers).

also, if contenders had a high pick coming up, they are either going to trade their valuable picks for a piece for their playoff run, or they are going to let an expensive veteran go who otherwise would not be on the market. Lower level teams would actually be inclined to pick those guys up, because they wouldn't screw up their lottery chances by doing so.