The 2014/15 NBA season is not yet underway but there are discussions taking place that could have an impact on the 2015/16 season and beyond. This is because there is believed to be a change in the NBA Draft Lottery process on the way. There has been a desire for change in a lot of quarters for some time and if the growing rumours are to be believed, the Board of Governors of the NBA will soon be voting on the matter. There is a lot of work to be done to make sure that the process is fair and agreed upon but it seems as though there is a genuine desire to ensure that the poorer teams and squads are given more support to improve.
The nature of the Draft is completely American and totally un-American at the same time. Given that the spirit of capitalism is at the heart of everything, putting the poorest quality teams first with respect to choice almost laughs in the face of what many people would consider to be the American Dream. However, when you look at it from another angle, improving the competition and making sure that the end product for everyone involved is much more attractive is definitely something that has a business and commercial edge to it. Promoting the poorer teams and giving them a lift means that there is more of a chance of closer games, tighter matches and a lot more excitement which of course will drive fans to the games, ensure people are watching, make sure that advertising companies get a return for their investment and all in all, make a lot of people in the NBA rich, or at least, richer than they are now.
The details of the new NBA Draft Proposal
The new proposals intend to present the four NBA teams with the worst record with an equal chance of selecting the first pick in the draft. The new proposals will mean that each of the bottom four teams will hold a 12% chance of selecting the first pick. This stands in contrast to the current odds which sees the poorest team holding a 25% chance of selecting first, the second poorest team receiving a 19.9% chance, a the third poorest team holds a 15.6% chance and the fourth poorest team holds a 12% chance. This means that the fourth poorest team’s odds will stay the same but the rest will decrease.
It is also proposed that the team with the poorest record will not be able to be positioned lower than 7th in the overall list. The four NBA teams that have the best record for the lottery will find that their chances of receiving the first selection will be decreased but the likelihood of them receiving one of the first six picks will be increased.
The 76ers appear to be opposed
At the moment, the new proposals are in line to be voted on before the end of October and there is a genuine belief that the new proposals will receive a 21-1 victory. The only team that is believed to be opposed to the new proposal is the Philadelphia 76ers. The 76ers, in the previous two Drafts, have picked up injured centers in the top 6 and have managed to trade away players that had been tipped for the top.
If the change is approved by the Board of Governors before this season or during the season, it is likely that the new plans will be in place for the 2015 NBA Draft. These changes are being carried out with the hope of providing an incentive for the lesser teams to keep fighting until the season and less likely to roll over. The changes will ensure that there is not as much incentive to have the poorest record in the league, so this may see some teams having a brighter run of form near the end of the season.
At 3-1 down in the NBA Finals, many people predicted that the Cleveland Cavaliers would lie down, perhaps looking for the pain to be over and done with for another year. After all, they were facing the record breakers, the team that had shown themselves to be the best of the best by a good...