A Losers Bracket Playoff? To determine Lottery picks?

[bdreason]

Just heard Legler offer this idea. Take the Lottery teams and give them their own losers bracket playoff. Maybe you give the teams with the worst records a 1st round bye to insure they at least get a top 10 pick... but other than that, you gotta play yourself into a top pick.

[Cleverness]

OKC would have gotten 1st pick last year though

[KnittingRyu]

OKC would have gotten 1st pick last year though
Yeah, this is a bad idea. Teams battling for 8th seed suddenly tank (tell top players with "nagging injuries" to sit late in the season), then bring their stars back and have them play for a top pick. I'd much rather see teams that are shit tank than teams who otherwise should be in the playoffs tank. Just makes the quality of the playoffs that much worse too.

[bigkingsfan]

Make it so you can't draft top five in consecutive years, problem solved.

[sundizz]

I think a better idea is that if you have the worst record in the league you automatically can't get the number one pick. This way no one could tank on purpose (which I don't think teams really do). Every player out there is giving effort...their job is on the line, especially on bad teams.

[imnew09]

Tank for 8th seed

Draft #1 pick
Profits

Fk OP

[Kblaze8855]

One possible issue...

Players dont always want a big deal young star on the team.

Lets say you are Darius Miles....young...ok player. Supposed to be bigtime...never got the chance to start longterm in LA. Earned a starting spot for Cleveland. You think...ok...now is my chance to become a star.

Whats your motivation to go hard to win the Cavs the right to pick Lebron and take your spot? Two HS to pro young stars with legions of fans(Miles had a following at the time)....same position....both play 1-3(miles 1-5 if you can believe it). Neither shoots....both need the ball. Not best to play together. Who is the team gonna favor? The newer...younger...hometown kid.

Halfway into next season hes outta there. Only 22....hes done. Team is on to the next one.

Why would the vets fight for a rookie to take their spot?

Whats in it for them?

[ClipperRevival]

I think a better idea is that if you have the worst record in the league you automatically can't get the number one pick. This way no one could tank on purpose (which I don't think teams really do). Every player out there is giving effort...their job is on the line, especially on bad teams.

That might not be a bad idea. Just this fact alone would almost force even tanking teams to win to some extent and they can't just mail it in.

[Kblaze8855]

Having looked into it.......


AROUND THE N.B.A.; As James Soars, Miles Struggles in Cleveland
By Chris Broussard
Published: November 2, 2003

PHOENIX— Lost amid the hoopla surrounding the next great thing, LeBron James, have been the struggles of the last great thing, Darius Miles, James's teammate in Cleveland.

Though not as publicized as James when he came out of East St. Louis High School, in Illinois, in 2000, Miles, at 6 feet 9 inches with terrific athleticism, was expected to be another Kevin Garnett. When the Los Angeles Clippers took Miles with the third pick of the 2000 draft, no high school player had been drafted as high. (Washington selected Kwame Brown No. 1 the next year.)

A few spectacular dunks and a rash of national publicity sent the Miles bandwagon careering out of control. Soon, he was being featured on national television commercials despite having averaged a mere 9 points a game.

Opinions of Miles were so high around the league that when Cleveland traded Andre Miller for him in July 2002, many thought the Cavaliers had fleeced the Clippers.

The trade worked out great for Cleveland, but largely because Miles was not nearly as good as advertised. Giving away their best player in Miller for Miles led the Cavaliers to the third-worst season in their history, which helped them gain the first pick and James in the 2003 N.B.A. draft.

After averaging only 9.2 points in what was supposed to be a go-to role last season, Miles vowed to come back strong this season. But some in the Cavaliers organization say they believe Miles will never be the star he was supposed to be and that he is simply a wildly athletic role player, more Bill Willoughby than Garnett. Even Miles, who has embraced James's superstardom, seems to have reduced expectations.

''My role is just an everything type of player,'' Miles said after getting 14 points and 6 rebounds in Cleveland's first two games. ''I defend the best player, get rebounds, steals, bring a whole lot of energy, keep LeBron's head right.''

Miles, 22, is James's closest friend on the team. They became close last season, when James used to attend Cavaliers games.

Afterward, he would go over to Miles's house for marathon video-game sessions. Miles also attended some of James's high school games.

''I think our backgrounds make us so close,'' James said. ''I think him coming straight out of high school, him growing up in the 'hood, in the projects, just like I did. We have so much in common that we're able to vibe real easy.''

But the similarities end once they step on the court.

Last season, there was criticism of Miles's work ethic. He has improved, but he still lacks legitimate offensive skills -- the only thing he does with consistency is dunk alley-oop passes -- and some in the Cavaliers' organization say they believe he does not have a good understanding of the game or how to play it.

For now, after jettisoning his preseason plan to play Miles at point guard, Coach Paul Silas has Miles starting at small forward. But Miles may soon end up being a spark plug off the bench. With James and center Zydrunas Ilgauskas able to draw consistent double- and triple-teaming, Cleveland needs a long-range shooter (perhaps the reserve J. R. Bremer) in the starting lineup. A fourth-year role player on a struggling team is not what people expect from the third pick in the draft, especially in this age of preps-to-pros prodigies. But Miles said that with James aboard, people are no longer expecting stardom.

''People aren't looking at me no more,'' he said while dressing in the locker next to James's after the Cavaliers' loss against the Suns. ''People are looking at this young boy right here. They aren't worried about me.'' Sad, but true.


To put a modern spin on it...

The Suns are in a "playoff" game to decide #1 pick. PJ Tucker is asked to help them draft Ben Simmons to take his spot.

Hes open for a game winner.....does he want to make it? Hes a free agent after next year when the cap explodes. He wants to keep starting and getting big minutes...hopefully show some team hes worth a longterm deal...even if its not huge money....its longterm and he doesnt go back to Greece. Hes got a better chance doing that....without Simmons.

Why is he gonna try to make that jumper and cost himself PT and money?

[Mr. Jabbar]

the actually better team would get the better pick, kinda defeats the purpose

[ClipperRevival]

Having looked into it.......




To put a modern spin on it...

The Suns are in a "playoff" game to decide #1 pick. PJ Tucker is asked to help them draft Ben Simmons to take his spot.

Hes open for a game winner.....does he want to make it? Hes a free agent after next year when the cap explodes. He wants to keep starting and getting big minutes...hopefully show some team hes worth a longterm deal...even if its not huge money....its longterm and he doesnt go back to Greece. Hes got a better chance doing that....without Simmons.

Why is he gonna try to make that jumper and cost himself PT and money?

Come on man. Players don't think like that. They compete and try to have success and win. No player would miss a possible game winning shot because he's thinking about a player being drafted might take PT away from him. Players are only caught up in the moment. You are over thinkimg this.

[Hey Yo]

Make it to where ...if you're the first team outside the 8th seed, you have a better chance of winning the lottery because by tanking would give you less of a chance of winning the top pick. You're rewarded by trying to make the playoffs! Might make parity better??

I realize that some teams are flat out bad..... but this way it makes you play your best lineup possible.

[Cocaine80s]

Why not just settle it with a 14 man dunk contest

[bigkingsfan]

That might not be a bad idea. Just this fact alone would almost force even tanking teams to win to some extent and they can't just mail it in.
Bad teams won't mind settling for the 2nd pick, even the odds are against you getting #1 pick with the worst record.

[Kblaze8855]

Come on man. Players don't think like that. They compete and try to have success and win. No player would miss a possible game winning shot because he's thinking about a player being drafted might take PT away from him. Players are only caught up in the moment. You are over thinkimg this.


So....you are a starting point guard and in the game to decide if you team drafts a guy projected to be the next Chris Paul #1....a bigman is the likely #2. Its your contract year coming up. You dont think your friends and family want you to get the second pick? You dont think this comes up? Whats your motivation to have this guy added to the team?

You think every player is so selfless they want the team to be better.....even if they have to watch it play from the bench in a contract year behind a player they will NEVER beat out?

Humans dont work that way. Players have admitted to not wanting guys to come to the team and take their PT. Why would it be different with the draft?

We are talking millions of dollars at stake in some of these situations.

PJ Tucker or some other barely hanging on in a starting lineup combo guard simply would not want some rookie knocking them out of position...if they could avoid it.

Its just self preservation.

I dont know that you get 100% effort out of guys in that position.

We all know the thoughts would enter their heads. They would hear about it all week. Family....media. Its gonna come up. Its a question that must be answered. They would all say the right thing....but its time to make a decision....one misstep may give the game away....I go into next year...my contract year...a starter? Or backing up Chris Pauls past 2?

Im not saying I throw the game...im saying...if you think nobody in the NBA would consider it you dont know how shitty humans are.

[ClipperRevival]

Bad teams won't mind settling for the 2nd pick, even the odds are against you getting #1 pick with the worst record.

Most drafts usually have one guy that stands out from the rest. So in most seasons, these tanking teams would fail at their purpose. It's a very simple rule that forces teams from completely mailing it in. Not full proof as I haven't seen an idea yet that is but great at preventing full blown tanking.

[imdaman99]

With the Knicks not having their pick, I would love this. They could tank and only lose the 14th pick :lol

[ClipperRevival]

So....you are a starting point guard and in the game to decide if you team drafts a guy projected to be the next Chris Paul #1....a bigman is the likely #2. Its your contract year coming up. You dont think your friends and family want you to get the second pick? You dont think this comes up? Whats your motivation to have this guy added to the team?

You think every player is so selfless they want the team to be better.....even if they have to watch it play from the bench in a contract year behind a player they will NEVER beat out?

Humans dont work that way. Players have admitted to not wanting guys to come to the team and take their PT. Why would it be different with the draft?

We are talking millions of dollars at stake in some of these situations.

PJ Tucker or some other barely hanging on in a starting lineup combo guard simply would not want some rookie knocking them out of position...if they could avoid it.

Its just self preservation.

I dont know that you get 100% effort out of guys in that position.

We all know the thoughts would enter their heads. They would hear about it all week. Family....media. Its gonna come up. Its a question that must be answered. They would all say the right thing....but its time to make a decision....one misstep may give the game away....I go into next year...my contract year...a starter? Or backing up Chris Pauls past 2?

Im not saying I throw the game...im saying...if you think nobody in the NBA would consider it you dont know how shitty humans are.

You can't think like that as a player. You have to go get it. Once you start thinking like that, you already lost. To me, self preservation is maximizing every second on the court so that when my contract is up, I get the most money. Maybe I want that special talent to be drafted, even if he plays the same position as me because I want to win?

[Kblaze8855]

You should read a few NBA books on draft related issues. Tipoff for one...about the 84 draft and the aftermath. There is always internal bitterness from players stepped over in favor of rookies. Always. Its human nature. You would be asking players to actively contribute to their own downfall in ways.

Not all of them of course....in our hypothetical....a shitty but developing bigman would want them to get #1....and take the great point not the great bigman.

But fact is....its gonna be in the heads of players. The media wouldnt allow it to go unmentioned.

Im not even saying it would make a real impact...just that it would be interesting.

You go make the big shot to get your team to draft someone who turns you to a career bench warmer when you had a good hold on a starting spot in a system you loved with a chance to grow with a a great young big....had you missed.

You would be thinking of it for the rest of your life.

[ClipperRevival]

You should read a few NBA books on draft related issues. Tipoff for one...about the 84 draft and the aftermath. There is always internal bitterness from players stepped over in favor of rookies. Always. Its human nature. You would be asking players to actively contribute to their own downfall in ways.

Not all of them of course....in our hypothetical....a shitty but developing bigman would want them to get #1....and take the great point not the great bigman.

But fact is....its gonna be in the heads of players. The media wouldnt allow it to go unmentioned.

Im not even saying it would make a real impact...just that it would be interesting.

You go make the big shot to get your team to draft someone who turns you to a career bench warmer when you had a good hold on a starting spot in a system you loved with a chance to grow with a a great young big....had you missed.

You would be thinking of it for the rest of your life.

I mean I can see some players thinking that way, it's just not how I would think. No way I miss a possible game winner. Every second on the court, I'm trying to do whatever I can to help my team win and bringing it. Anything less is unacceptable in my eyes.

[Marchesk]

You should read a few NBA books on draft related issues. Tipoff for one...about the 84 draft and the aftermath. You would be thinking of it for the rest of your life.

I wonder if Hakeem ever thinks about what his career would have been like if Sampson wasn't valued higher than Jordan at the time.

[I<3NBA]

just demote the 2 teams with lowest records to DLeague and promote the top 2 teams in DLeague. top 2 teams promoted get the top 1 and 2 pick plus picks 7-10 alternately. all players in teams that were demoted cannot be signed to an NBA team until after a year.