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Comey · 04-13-2018, 04:22 AM

Meanwhile, in the world of professionals...

NBA To Implement Lottery For Draft
New system comes after speculation of purposed losing
Joe Simpson, New York Times

In the National Basketball Association, as with all other professional sports, there is an ebb and flow to team success. As teams find players who become stars, their win totals go up. As those players regress in their abilities, or get shuttled to another team or retire, their win totals go down. This is the cost of doing business.

But when a team possibly rigs their season for long-term success, owners are taken aback, and claim that the integrity of the game is taken back a generation.

With whispers of that very sabotage going around the NBA, the league has taken measures to prevent such forced losing.

They have instituted a lottery for the draft.

The claims come at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers, who won a mere seventeen games last season. Those seventeen wins are the fewest ever for an established franchise. Boston won 19 five years ago, which is when these rumblings began.

However, with this year's prize being once-in-a-lifetime prospect Jack Dawkins of George Washington, there have been more talks about teams trying to lose to make their team better in the long run.

"It's no secret that certain franchises think that, because they cannot compete, they can hoodwink the fans into shenanigans about 'next year'," said NBA Commissioner Connie McCormick. "Now, even if you go into the tank, there's no guarantee you'll come out swimming."

The lottery will involve any team who does not make the playoffs, and give teams a proportional shot towards winning the first overall pick. The worse a team does, the better their odds. But there is still no guarantee that the team with the worst record will end up with the first pick.

That adds serious intrigue into a draft that has lacked drama over the years. It is especially so this year, with the entrance of Dawkins (simply known as "Jack" to many around the country). He is not alone in the elite class of this draft, but he is considered the most polished player, with the greatest array of skills, to enter the league in its history.

The Lakers (17-65) have the inside track towards receiving that prized pick, while Houston (21-61) is second. Detroit (28-54), Chicago (29-53), and San Diego (33-49) round out the bott...er, top five.

It does raise a curious eye why a league that needs exposure and a star in a top city, such as Los Angeles, would force the market to hope for a player like Jack, who could transcend the game and make it more mainstream. The league has struggled over the past few years, with Utah, Denver and Atlanta owning the stage. The Lakers reached the NBA Finals in 1981, falling to Atlanta in five games.

04-13-2018, 04:22 AM	#186
Comey College Starter Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: CT via PA via CA via PA	Meanwhile, in the world of professionals... NBA To Implement Lottery For Draft New system comes after speculation of purposed losing Joe Simpson, New York Times In the National Basketball Association, as with all other professional sports, there is an ebb and flow to team success. As teams find players who become stars, their win totals go up. As those players regress in their abilities, or get shuttled to another team or retire, their win totals go down. This is the cost of doing business. But when a team possibly rigs their season for long-term success, owners are taken aback, and claim that the integrity of the game is taken back a generation. With whispers of that very sabotage going around the NBA, the league has taken measures to prevent such forced losing. They have instituted a lottery for the draft. The claims come at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers, who won a mere seventeen games last season. Those seventeen wins are the fewest ever for an established franchise. Boston won 19 five years ago, which is when these rumblings began. However, with this year's prize being once-in-a-lifetime prospect Jack Dawkins of George Washington, there have been more talks about teams trying to lose to make their team better in the long run. "It's no secret that certain franchises think that, because they cannot compete, they can hoodwink the fans into shenanigans about 'next year'," said NBA Commissioner Connie McCormick. "Now, even if you go into the tank, there's no guarantee you'll come out swimming." The lottery will involve any team who does not make the playoffs, and give teams a proportional shot towards winning the first overall pick. The worse a team does, the better their odds. But there is still no guarantee that the team with the worst record will end up with the first pick. That adds serious intrigue into a draft that has lacked drama over the years. It is especially so this year, with the entrance of Dawkins (simply known as "Jack" to many around the country). He is not alone in the elite class of this draft, but he is considered the most polished player, with the greatest array of skills, to enter the league in its history. The Lakers (17-65) have the inside track towards receiving that prized pick, while Houston (21-61) is second. Detroit (28-54), Chicago (29-53), and San Diego (33-49) round out the bott...er, top five. It does raise a curious eye why a league that needs exposure and a star in a top city, such as Los Angeles, would force the market to hope for a player like Jack, who could transcend the game and make it more mainstream. The league has struggled over the past few years, with Utah, Denver and Atlanta owning the stage. The Lakers reached the NBA Finals in 1981, falling to Atlanta in five games. __________________ Last edited by Comey : 04-13-2018 at 04:23 AM.