[Rockets] Battier's plans for a bigger and better NBA

Relegation sounds good in theory. It can't DIRECTLY follow the English model though, need some tweaks in the system. It works good having competitive balance for the lower teams. It just seems all those overseas leagues in any sport have the SAME teams winning the CHAMPIONSHIP every year. Even less parity up top than in the NBA. I'm not going to argue too much against what I dont know much about, but only having 3 teams splitting all the championships within 2 DECADES doesnt sound appealing.

Fans picking contestants is a nice idea. Would the players feel obligated enough to participate? Or is it another way to ruin their midseason vacation? Maybe fans VOTING Lebron to dunk rather than letting him make the decision is coercive enough to get him to participate?

All Star will never be 100% meaningful because its a half-season recognition. All-NBA is "boring", but it actually means more because it recognizes a full season of work. All Star game is usually a player getting picked a year after their first good year to show they're for "real". Like Lebron, Durant, Derrick Rose. Or its the 2nd half of the previous year + 1st half of the FOLLOWING year to see that a player's not a fluke. Fans only pick the starter's anyway.


Alright instead of dumping on ideas, my own:

- Have a BEGINNING of the season tournament. Like the high school and college invitational tournaments. To get the year going from day 1. Then perhaps have those results mean something. For what, I dont know. Maybe the winning team's city gets a cool parade. But something to wake the slouchy player's asses up from the get-go, and have fans anticipating something at season's start.
- Then the generic ideas of shorten the season of course
- No more divisions and conferences, top 10 teams in league advance. Middle 10 do the play-in tournament for 2 spots (if that even works)
- 5 games first round.
- Bottom 10-12 teams equal chance at draft lotto.

Same kinda stuff, just having something to start the season instead the middle. All Star game and trade deadline has always been a decent intermission.

 

I love for the shorten version where every team play home and away once.
Eliminate the easy games for Eastern teams, as well as bring back parity in the game. Instead of the current strong west and weak east theme.

Equal chance on lottery slots? It totally negates every single thoughts of tanking, but it defied the purpose of the draft. Giving the weaker team in the league to draft on a franchise player. I like it the way it is, where there is a certain percentage of the way the pink pong balls drop. Where tanking is not necessarily rewarded with a top pick.

Top 8 teams playing it out for a single elimination tournament instead of the all-star week end? Definitely NO! All star week end is about the whole NBA not just the cream of the crop. All star week end is about individual pride and accolades not about team pride. Just taking in the top 8 teams would have meant no Wade, Bosh, Johnson, Williams, Duncan, Nash, Stoudamire, Roy etc.

I like the single elimination tourney idea, but playing all the teams would bring the lust out of the playoffs, playing just the top few teams would meant the above happening. Hence I suggest a single elimination tourney between divisions. Its like all star game between 2 conference played out as 6 division teams. At least the games meant something and it will bring more participation from all the teams.

 

I think the NBA should try out kings cup and just see how it pans out. Imagine how many teams would go for the "double" ,teams would also try to get in a good position to win right at the start of the season.


However some negative stuffs about "kings cup" could be that teams would top their rosters which mean it may be more difficult for rookies to get playing time...

 

Pacers would win the East if this happened

 

I don't know man. Drinking games in the NBA? I don't see how that could resolve anything.

 

Why does everyone want to shorten the season? I love basketball season and whenever its on, I don't want it to end. Why would I want to see less Rockets games? Shorten season means less chances for a team to go on a late streak and sneak into the playoffs. No more "Cinderella Stories".