'25-26 NBA Thread

[wadesworld]

Why is tanking an issue? It's also not really fixing bad teams, so it's just hurting their businesses. Look at who the bad teams have been. Not many go from bad to good. Bad teams are usually staying bad for a long time. Pels, Nets, Hornets, Wizards, Portland, Utah, Sacramento. If they want to keep tanking, let them. Just hurting themselves.

[MuggsyB]

Why is tanking an issue? It's also not really fixing bad teams, so it's just hurting their businesses. Look at who the bad teams have been. Not many go from bad to good. Bad teams are usually staying bad for a long time. Pels, Nets, Hornets, Wizards, Portland, Utah, Sacramento. If they want to keep tanking, let them. Just hurting themselves.

Then should they lower the ticket prices if their goal is to lose?  Whatever happened to actually trying?

[WhiteTrash]

Why is tanking an issue? It's also not really fixing bad teams, so it's just hurting their businesses. Look at who the bad teams have been. Not many go from bad to good. Bad teams are usually staying bad for a long time. Pels, Nets, Hornets, Wizards, Portland, Utah, Sacramento. If they want to keep tanking, let them. Just hurting themselves.

NBA/NFL/NHL owners and GMs would disagree with you. There are data points to support the tanking strategy. Not a guaranty to success (hmmm maybe like transfer portal players), but higher daft picks hit at a higher rate. Maybe not dramatically higher rates, but sometimes these teams are forced to work in the margins to gain any advantage possible.

If tanking for higher draft picks doesn't provide an advantage, why haven't the leagues gone to just picking in alphabetical order? 

[MU82]

Support for drastically changing the draft lottery is growing. One proposal I've heard would really shake things up:

Only the 12 teams that make the playoffs at the end of the regular season would be out of the lottery. So even the four teams that eventually qualify for the playoffs via the play-in tournament would be in the lottery. And then the lottery would NOT be weighted.

That would mean a team finishing with the worst record in the league would have no statistical advantage to get an earlier pick over a team that makes the playoffs via the play-in tournament.

Seems extreme, but maybe it's time for extreme.

[The Sultan]

Support for drastically changing the draft lottery is growing. One proposal I've heard would really shake things up:

Only the 12 teams that make the playoffs at the end of the regular season would be out of the lottery. So even the four teams that eventually qualify for the playoffs via the play-in tournament would be in the lottery. And then the lottery would NOT be weighted.

That would mean a team finishing with the worst record in the league would have no statistical advantage to get an earlier pick over a team that makes the playoffs via the play-in tournament.

Seems extreme, but maybe it's time for extreme.

Well, all you do then is move the incentive to tank further up the standings. Because I would much rather be the #7 seed than the #6 seed in that scenario. So I would end up with an equal shot at the #1 pick in the draft, plus only have to win one of two games at home to stay in the playoffs? Yes please.

I think what needs to be addressed are the repeat offenders. For instance, put in a rule that teams can't be in the lottery more than two times over a four year stretch.

Then there is the lottery wheel idea...

[JWags85]

Why is tanking an issue? It's also not really fixing bad teams, so it's just hurting their businesses. Look at who the bad teams have been. Not many go from bad to good. Bad teams are usually staying bad for a long time. Pels, Nets, Hornets, Wizards, Portland, Utah, Sacramento. If they want to keep tanking, let them. Just hurting themselves.

I think part of the issue is that when tanking is blatant, the on-floor product is so noticeably BAD.  Its one thing when teams shut down a star nursing an injury for the last few months of the season, or dump salary/players at the deadline for future picks and to improve their draft position.  But when you have teams determining they are tanking weeks before the All Star break (like the Jazz) and turning their games into a joke as a result, it goes against the spirit of the NBA and makes the league look bad.  A big part of the commissioners job is maintaining league image, and giving critics tons of ammunition about lazy stars, regular season games being meaningless, etc... in addition to the terrible on the floor product, its a PR issue as much as anything.

People complained about load management where they buy tickets when the Clips or Lakers were in town and Kawhi/LeBron sat out, that's nothing compared to buying tickets for Nets/Jazz and not seeing MPJ or Claxton and instead getting a starting line up including Nolan Traore, Terrance Man, and Day'ron Sharpe playing a second half that sees Lauri, Keyonte George, and Jaren Jackson sit in favor of 20+ minutes for Brice Sensabaugh, Jon Konchar, and Oscar Tshiebwe.

Despite there being data to support tanking, the fact is plenty of organizations still mess that up so they have multiple seasons of them churning out slop for a result that doesn't necessarily improve.  I'm not bothered/offended by tanking, I'm not calling for Adam Silver's head, but I definitely use WAY less League Pass then I would otherwise when a quarter of the teams are unwatchable.

[MU82]

Well, all you do then is move the incentive to tank further up the standings. Because I would much rather be the #7 seed than the #6 seed in that scenario. So I would end up with an equal shot at the #1 pick in the draft, plus only have to win one of two games at home to stay in the playoffs? Yes please.

Not sure how easy it would be to spend an entire season "tanking" for the #7 seed instead of #6 - and that's the thing the NBA is talking about addressing, teams tanking entire seasons.

Now, I suppose a team that's on the playoff/play-in line with two games to play could try to orchestrate getting the 7 seed somehow, but even that wouldn't be easy, especially if another team or two is trying to do the same.

Anyhoo, I'm not even sure I like the plan, but I did find it interesting so I mentioned it here.

[The Sultan]

Not sure how easy it would be to spend an entire season "tanking" for the #7 seed instead of #6 - and that's the thing the NBA is talking about addressing, teams tanking entire seasons.

Now, I suppose a team that's on the playoff/play-in line with two games to play could try to orchestrate getting the 7 seed somehow, but even that wouldn't be easy, especially if another team or two is trying to do the same.

Anyhoo, I'm not even sure I like the plan, but I did find it interesting so I mentioned it here.

Good points about the tanking. I guess until you really loosen the tie between draft position and record, there is not much incentive for teams to change.

[WhiteTrash]

This is probably a flawed option, but what about eliminating the draft and teams bidding for players?  Obviously there would be a cap, but you wouldn't need to be bad to buy the best player.

I'd guess it would hinder the trade market?

[The Sultan]

This is probably a flawed option, but what about eliminating the draft and teams bidding for players?  Obviously there would be a cap, but you wouldn't need to be bad to buy the best player.

I'd guess it would hinder the trade market?

I think all things being equal, even with a cap, teams like Utah are going to end up having to pay more for a player than a team like the Lakers.

Maybe another way to do it is to have teams submit blind bids for players and the players get to choose which one they would take. (But bids would undoubtedly be leaked I guess.)

[WhiteTrash]

I think all things being equal, even with a cap, teams like Utah are going to end up having to pay more for a player than a team like the Lakers.

Maybe another way to do it is to have teams submit blind bids for players and the players get to choose which one they would take. (But bids would undoubtedly be leaked I guess.)

Understood, but the concept was players go to the highest bidder without input from the players.

I'm sure there are faults in the concept, but just throwing something out there.

[MU82]

This is probably a flawed option, but what about eliminating the draft and teams bidding for players?  Obviously there would be a cap, but you wouldn't need to be bad to buy the best player.

This, unsurprisingly, is the union's preferred remedy. Hard to imagine the owners would be big fans of it.

[JWags85]

This is probably a flawed option, but what about eliminating the draft and teams bidding for players?  Obviously there would be a cap, but you wouldn't need to be bad to buy the best player.

I'd guess it would hinder the trade market?

So then they become European soccer and parity is gone?  You can have a cap, but teams will pay the tax or find ways around it.

[WhiteTrash]

So then they become European soccer and parity is gone?  You can have a cap, but teams will pay the tax or find ways around it.

I see what you are saying, but in this proposal 1/2 of the teams could not afford the "#1 pick" due to salary constraints, thus still preserving the path to parity.

In theory, a team with cap space to land a top three player should have zero motivation to tank.

As for circumventing the salary cap or allowing teams to go into the tax, that is kind of a separate issue that the NBA needs to actually govern themselves on.

Anyways, it is not perfect or not even the best solution, I'm sure.

[MU82]

Apparently, Kevin Durant used a burner account to rip, among others, teammates Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith. He was asked specifically about it yesterday and didn't deny it.

The opposite of leadership and the opposite of being a good teammate.

[WhiteTrash]

Apparently, Kevin Durant used a burner account to rip, among others, teammates Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith. He was asked specifically about it yesterday and didn't deny it.

The opposite of leadership and the opposite of being a good teammate.

KD wouldn't last at Kansas St.

[JWags85]

Apparently, Kevin Durant used a burner account to rip, among others, teammates Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith. He was asked specifically about it yesterday and didn't deny it.

The opposite of leadership and the opposite of being a good teammate.

Is it bad leadership?  Sure.  Should a superstar athlete be above that?  Also sure.

But, hot take...not gonna lie, thought the same the first time his burners come up, it makes KD more likable in a weird modern landscape sort of way.  We're so used to athletes being completely oblivious, detached, or disconnected from their sport's fanbase or the real world.  But KD is shockingly normal just like every other millenial who needs to chat crap and/or vent to random strangers online.

He's fascinating as a superstar cause he's never seemed aloof or above anything, which has always made him a tremendously interesting interview and personality.  Now this isn't all good, cause this burner crap is hilariously petty and unneccesary, his self-given nickname was horrible, and he gets in the mud more than he probably needs to or should. 

But that quality about him is what else means you get the legendary "oh, is that chemistry gonna help you when you gotta guard Steph" when everyone was praising France and their team going into the Olympics.

[MU82]

Is it bad leadership?  Sure.  Should a superstar athlete be above that?  Also sure.

But, hot take...not gonna lie, thought the same the first time his burners come up, it makes KD more likable in a weird modern landscape sort of way.  We're so used to athletes being completely oblivious, detached, or disconnected from their sport's fanbase or the real world.  But KD is shockingly normal just like every other millenial who needs to chat crap and/or vent to random strangers online.

He's fascinating as a superstar cause he's never seemed aloof or above anything, which has always made him a tremendously interesting interview and personality.  Now this isn't all good, cause this burner crap is hilariously petty and unneccesary, his self-given nickname was horrible, and he gets in the mud more than he probably needs to or should. 

But that quality about him is what else means you get the legendary "oh, is that chemistry gonna help you when you gotta guard Steph" when everyone was praising France and their team going into the Olympics.

Interesting take.

I would have liked to have covered KD because he's a good quote. But creating private burner accounts to rip teammates ... pretty classless. The Rockets weren't gonna go anywhere anyway this season, so he can enjoy another early start to his vacay.

[Billy Hoyle]

So then they become European soccer and parity is gone?  You can have a cap, but teams will pay the tax or find ways around it.

what has been great about the cap and the draft is that it's allowed more teams in small markets to not only compete but win titles. Without a cap we wouldn't have seen OKC v. Indiana in the finals, or Milwaukee and Denver winning titles. It forces teams to be smart when it comes to drafting and building a roster. 

[The Sultan]

This story about Rony Seikaly and Magic Johnson is really something.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdZvVMgSzTw&t=522s

[MuggsyB]

Cade Cunningham is really impressive.