Van Gundy: All teams should have equal shot at winning lottery

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http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/s...=ESPNHeadlines

The Dallas Mavericks with the No. 1 pick in the 2007 NBA draft? If Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy had his way, that could happen.

Van Gundy wants to open up the NBA draft lottery to all 30 NBA teams in an effort to keep teams from losing intentionally to hopefully secure the No. 1 pick.

"I think every team should have an equal chance at winning the lottery, from the best team all the way down," Van Gundy told The Houston Chronicle. "I don't want to accuse anyone of anything. I would say to take away any possible conflict of interest, everyone should have an equal chance at the top pick all the way down. That way there would be absolutely no question by anybody about anything.

"If it's better for the game, they should do it. I never quite understood why losing is rewarded, other than [for] parity."

According to The Chronicle, Van Gundy presented his proposal to the NBA, but wasn't taken seriously.
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Interesting idea but if you open the lottery to playoff teams, you should still stagger their chances of winning although that might not solve tanking. I don't think they should mess with the system set up now, its still much better than the NFLs.

[Cebby]

Re: Van Gundy: All teams should have equal shot at winning lottery

If they ever did this, the NBA should make the Rockets release Yao. Then see if he likes it.

"If it's better for the game, they should do it. I never quite understood why losing is rewarded, other than [for] parity."

I've never understood why everyone gets to vote for the presidency, other than that democracy thing. Parity is the only reason there's a draft, smart guy. How exciting would the sport be if the Bulls drafted Shaq or the Spurs picked Lebron?

[Graphik]

Re: Van Gundy: All teams should have equal shot at winning lottery

If they ever did this, the NBA should make the Rockets release Yao. Then see if he likes it.



I've never understood why everyone gets to vote for the presidency, other than that democracy thing. Parity is the only reason there's a draft, smart guy. How exciting would the sport be if the Bulls drafted Shaq or the Spurs picked Lebron?

I was thinking the same thing. Besides, their is always a possibility of trading away players for picks so in essence, every team does have a shot in the draft.

[23]

Re: Van Gundy: All teams should have equal shot at winning lottery

It's not like JVG likes playing rookies anyhow. Why is he all ruffled in his undies.

[wang_chi7]

Re: Van Gundy: All teams should have equal shot at winning lottery

I don't know if I like it, but I've heard the argument that all the lottery teams (non-playoffs) should have an equal shot in the lottery. This would stop teams from tanking because there would be no point as no team would trade a playoff spot for a lottery pick, that would be ridiculous. Having every team, even playoff participants would be dumb, this would take care of the tanking and still allow for bad teams to likely improve.

In a lot of ways it makes a heck of a lot of sense, but I'm not totally on board for the idea.

[23]

Re: Van Gundy: All teams should have equal shot at winning lottery

I think he should explore an alternative method. The idea about tanking I think most agree on, but a different approach should be taken.

The league won't go for what he's talking about.

[TheMatrix31]

Re: Van Gundy: All teams should have equal shot at winning lottery

I loved Mike Greenberg's proposal on this issue.

The team that finishes with the best non-playoff record, gets the #1 pick. The team that finishes with the second best non-playoff record, gets the #2, and so on.

This forces teams to spend money, to play better. It gives them REAL incentive to get the next piece of the puzzle, the piece needed for the next step.

The only way to get better, is to play better and make better management decisions!

[Cebby]

Re: Van Gundy: All teams should have equal shot at winning lottery

I loved Mike Greenberg's proposal on this issue.

The team that finishes with the best non-playoff record, gets the #1 pick. The team that finishes with the second best non-playoff record, gets the #2, and so on.

This forces teams to spend money, to play better. It gives them REAL incentive to get the next piece of the puzzle, the piece needed for the next step.

The only way to get better, is to play better and make better management decisions!

I don't think the bottom teams are intentionally tanking from the beginning of the season to get a top draft pick. I think the NBA already has the best way to determine draft picks.

I don't see how the bottom teams are supposed to get better in these models. They have bad players, so they have minimal trade options, and with a mid level draft pick, they're getting a solid role player at best. So the only real options is to wait for the once every 10 year chance to land a franchise player as a free agent.

[the_future420]

Re: Van Gundy: All teams should have equal shot at winning lottery

I don't think the bottom teams are intentionally tanking from the beginning of the season to get a top draft pick. I think the NBA already has the best way to determine draft picks.

I don't see how the bottom teams are supposed to get better in these models. They have bad players, so they have minimal trade options, and with a mid level draft pick, they're getting a solid role player at best. So the only real options is to wait for the once every 10 year chance to land a franchise player as a free agent.

Yeah, I'm not a big fan on that model either. I do like the randomness of every team missing the playoffs having a shot at the #1 pick though, that I like. In the end, the bad teams will still get better, but they can't tank and be all-but guaranteed the #1.

If a team misses the playoffs by one game for example, they were already a decent team to begin with. By the luck of the draw, they get the #1 pick. This should automatically make them a playoff team likely for at least a few years to come. Their name is now out of the draw and then a bad team that will be consistently bad most likely take's there place in the lottery for the next few years to come. Bad teams will still get better over time (parity), teams won't tank the last 3/4 of the season to get a good pick (intergrity), average teams will have the chance to be instant contenders (a different sort of parity)

I really like this idea the more I think about it because it could lead to some superstars staying with their teams. Guys like Iverson who are so good that they keep their team afloat, yet never able to really make much noise or get to the playoffs, could possibly still be rewarded by their team somehow getting the #1 pick and becoming contenders. More star players would stay with their original teams throughout their careers. I really love this idea.

[Cebby]

Re: Van Gundy: All teams should have equal shot at winning lottery

But there would not be parity. The bad teams would not magically get better. It's kind of like the "to each according to his needs" deal of communism. The bottom teams are the ones who need a superstar caliber player, thus, they get to draft those players. The mid-bad teams typically have some foundation, and thus draft a starter caliber player. The last few playoff teams and the last few out need good role players/6th mans.

The teams just missing the playoffs still have a shot at the top pick, just a bad one. Any other way than the way it is now would lead to huge stagnation of the bad teams who could not draft great players and couldn't trade for great players. And how many times do great players become free agents when they're still top players?

[Bad_Intentions]

Re: Van Gundy: All teams should have equal shot at winning lottery

Horrible idea.....He has Tmac and Yao, he needs to STFU.

[dkgojackets]

Re: Van Gundy: All teams should have equal shot at winning lottery

Terrible idea. I do kinda like all non-playoff teams having an equal shot, but overall the system is fine.

[Court_vision]

Re: Van Gundy: All teams should have equal shot at winning lottery

They should make it so that the bottom 8 teams all have the EXACT same chance...

Not all teams, just the bottom eight.

It is kind of crazy the way it is now. With Celtics and Philly fans crying after every WIN...

With teams caught between trying as professionals...and tanking so that the organization benefits next season.

[luv_mist]

Re: Van Gundy: All teams should have equal shot at winning lottery

They should make it so that the bottom 8 teams all have the EXACT same chance...

Not all teams, just the bottom eight.

It is kind of crazy the way it is now. With Celtics and Philly fans crying after every WIN...

With teams caught between trying as professionals...and tanking so that the organization benefits next season.

This was where I was getting my idea to flow too but I just got too cluttered in the mind to write it down. It pisses me off that teams are doing garbage to pick up a potential great star like that. Most immoral piece of crap I've ever seen. I'd hate to be a coach in a city like either.

[dieselboy]

Re: Van Gundy: All teams should have equal shot at winning lottery

Brings up an interesting idea, but that is why it is a lottery. Some team could go 1-81 and not get the pick.