you heard me. its fixed. jordan getting the first pick last year? bull. therefore, if they dont make the playoffs i predict they get a top five pick (the wizards) and toronto will definatley move into single digits. meanwhile, chicago will not get the first pick.
I posted about this earlier in the year. This upcoming draft there's going to be a perfect chance to test this conspiracy theory. If the New York Knicks win the lottery, I think we can all assume it's fixed!!! ...but if the Wizards win the lottery they'd be moving into the top three, not the top five, right?
Isn't Cuban trying to get the lottery aired live? I thought he wanted to do this because he thought that the lottery picks were fixed as well. If an owner thinks their fixed that's pretty bad....
There have been recent articles about the Knicks wanting Yao Ming. So we'll see about the Knicks and one of the top 2 picks; I hope not, I hope not, I hope not.
I don't mean to throw any cold water on a hot conspiracy, but didn't a team called the Rockets win the lottery two years in a row and draft guys named Sampson and Olajawon? Or is that the reason the draft got fixed?
Did they even have the lottery for the Olajuwon/Sampson years? I thought we got to draft at least one of them because of some coin flip. Wasn't it the next year that they started doing it and then the Knicks oh so conveniently landed one Patrick Ewing.
How would you fix the lottery? Seriously, I thought about it - its not feasible. The Wizards won the lottery becase they sucked last year.
Well. Here's a post I made a couple months back. I think some of the replies answer some of the questions. http://bbs.clutchcity.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=28960
First of all, if the Wizards have a record that puts them as the 6th or higher worst team, then it is impossible for them to move up unless they get one of the top 3 picks. So these teams you speak of "moving into single digits" or "getting a top 5 pick" won't be able to move up unless they get a top 3 pick. Secondly, I am pretty certain that, as the balls are drawn from the machine (or whatever picks the numbers), all of the NBA owners (or whoever is there representing the team) are there to watch. I remember reading an article one time where Greg Popovich was talking about how quiet the room was after his Spurs won the lottery the year Duncan came out. The only way to fix it, with that knowledge, is to somehow weight the balls in such a way as to favor certain teams. Even then, there is no guarantee. I just don't see the lottery being fixed. There is WAY too much risk of getting caught, and the rewards are pretty small, since there is rarely a sure fire #1 pick in most drafts.
Imagine Duncan playing with Boston now: Duncan, Pierce, Walker. That's the way THAT lottery was supposed to shake down as I remember.
Olajuwon and Sampson both came courtesy of a coin flip. The Rockets winning two years in a row was what caused the lottery system to come into existence. A behind-the-scenes account of the drawing is here: http://www.igtc.com/archives/celtics/2000/May/msg00273.html There are team representatives present at the draw.
Ahmad Rashad: "We are now going to take you live to the lottery, where the top 3 teams have just been picked." Camera to David Stern Stern: "The teams whose lottery balls have been selected for the 1, 2, and 3 picks will be announced in a moment." Camera pans the nervous representatives sitting on the edge of their seats Stern grabs three large, white envelopes and turns to the camera Stern: "First, the number 3 pick. The number three pick in the 2002 NBA Draft will go to..." Tension sensed Stern: "...the Chicago Bulls." He holds up a thick white board with the Bulls logo He takes the envelope labeled Second Pick and starts opening it. He takes it out and Shows it to the camera. It is the Denver Nuggets logo Stern: "Denver gets the 2nd pick in the draft." Finally, He pulls up the last white envelope into view. He opens it, and pulls out a thick white piece of poster board. Smiling, he turns the card around A basketball is on the card, encircled by jet streams and a shuttle with a goofy grin Stern: "The Houston Rockets have won the lottery and the right to pick first in the 2002 NBA Draft. Congratulations Carroll Dawson and to the Rockets organization. Carroll Dawson gets up hollerin and screamin and finalsbound dances around the streets of Houston.
I completely feel the same finalsbound, if the lottery is fixed then the Rockets will win one of the top seeds this year. The last three years or so, the east has won it and that what will prevent the NBA for handing it again to the esat unfortunately for the Knicks. So the n°1 pick will go west and my gut feeling is that the Rockets will get it... Peace