A better NBA Lottery System: Lottery Ball incentives

Okay, I have been thinking about a fair system that rewards non-tanking teams. Here is my proposal based on incentives for lottery balls. I propose that:

Currently, the lottery has a 1000 combinations:
1. I propose that at the 72 game mark 500 (or half) of those balls be divvied up the exact same way as the current system. So the last place team would get 125 balls (or 25%) and so on.

2. The other half of the combinations (500 balls) should be given on an incentive basis and should be based around the last 10 games. This would effectively act as a playoff for the remaining 500 balls based on your last 10 games.

One directive that should be in the incentive is that if you are the last place team at the end of the remaining 10 games you lose 10% of the ball combinations you acquired at the 72 game draft lottery and those balls are added to the team who finishes 9th (or the best worst record in the league).

The second thing i've played around with is the idea that of the remaining 10 games, each game you win is awarded a percentage of the remaining 500 balls. I don't know how that would work, or the best strategy to implement this would be.

 

The percentages would have to be something like in the last 10 games if you win a game you earn 5 balls (or a percentage point).

If you improve your position (say you go from 12 to 11 in the standings) you gain 10 more balls (2 percentage points).

If you lose a game by less than 5 points you earn 1/2 of a point.

Have a separate standings race (teams that win the most [1st] in the standings earn a slice of percentage. 2 in the standings earn a percentage. So if you go 2-8 and last in the standings you earn less of a percentage of the remaining 500 balls than the 5th place team and so forth.

 

This would generate excitement around the last 10 games for losing teams. Watching to see how many balls they earn.

 

I don't think so. I think it isn't any more unfair than having the majority of your games in the weak eastern conference as opposed to the stronger western conference. A game is a game.

Also, in this scenario, a playoff team can actually have a chance to win the lottery, which to me is a fantastic idea.

Say after 72 games you are 9th in the conference and a team in 8th starts playing lackluster ball. The team in 9th overtakes the 8th team, still holds on to the balls it collected in the 72 game lottery, gets another 10 balls for passing the team in 8th spot.

This eliminates the incentive to tank.

 

isn't having the majority of your games in the eastern conference advantageous to the bulls? Aren't the thunder getting the short end of the stick?

 

Also, heyparnter, the fact that you think some schedules are weaker than others, points to the fact of how completely unfair a playoff game would be. Teams like the bobcats have no chance to win the lottery, while the denvers of the world would tank to get into the tournament.

How would you propose your playoff scenario: a) account for the tanking at the top of the playoff race (the 8th and 9th seeds). b) make it fair for the truly horrid teams like the bobcats to ever get a number 1 seed. c) most important, how would you propose this tournament not compete with the playoffs themselves.

 

Also, I want to point out that this only affects half the balls in play. 500 balls goes to the biggest loser.

The 10 game playoff is arbitrary to generate excitement around the last 500 balls.

It rewards teams for winning and competing (if you lose but by 5 or less, you earn balls.)

As opposed to let me let a powerhouse run over the field and earn Anthony Davis.

So to me, the excitement of the playoffs (10 games) would add an extra benefit to the league as a whole to see how many balls you can earn.

 

I think that this is somewhat true, but keep in mind that a team would have to REALLY suck for this playoff system to benefit them in the long run.

I also think that comes from the 10th or 9th seed to get into the playoffs should be rewarded with a chance at the lottery, and teams that tank for more balls should be penalized.

For being the worst team at 72 games you get 125 balls, which is 12.5 percent of the balls in play. So you aren't handicapping the horrid teams because they get a lot of balls still.

You are just making every team play hard; even the 12/13 seeded teams have something to play for!

 

having an equal shot at winning the lottery might discourage a a lower team from tanking, but it would provide more incentive for a 9th place team to stay in the lottery.

the current weighted system keeps the stronger teams vying for a playoff spot honest, but it doesn't address the low end.

Every teams wants the most balls they can get at the lower end.