NEW YORK — The draft lottery will remain the same.
In somewhat of a shocking development Wednesday, a proposal to alter the formula for determining the top of the draft order failed to draw the 23 votes needed to pass. The vote was reportedly 17-13 in favor of changing the system, with the “No” votes being cast by Phoenix, Philadelphia, Oklahoma City, New Orleans, Detroit, Miami, Milwaukee, San Antonio, Utah, Washington, Atlanta, Charlotte and Chicago.
Under the proposal that failed to gain approval, the top six spots — rather than the top three — would have been determined by a ping-pong ball drawing. Also, the team with the worst record would have gone from having a 25 percent chance of getting the No. 1 overall pick to a 12 percent chance.
“I think in essence, the owners were concerned about unintended consequences, commissioner Adam Silver said. “I think we all recognize that we need to find the right balance between creating the appropriate incentives on one hand for teams to of course win, and on the other hand allowing what is appropriate rebuilding and a draft to work as a should, in which the worst performing teams get the highest picks in the draft, and we’ve tinkered with the draft lottery several times over the years.
“I don’t necessarily disagree with the way it works now. I’d say from a personal standpoint, what I’m most concerned about is the perception out there right now. Frankly the pressure on a lot of our teams, even from their very fans, to somehow underperform because it’s in some people’s view the most efficient and quickest way to get better, so I think that’s a corrosive perception out there. Whether it’s the case, I’m frankly not sure.
For now, there is a reason to break out the Champagne in Philadelphia, where the Sixers will struggle to reach double digits in victories.
While tanking hasn’t really worked (team with most lotto balls has not lucked into the top pick very often), teams are STILL adhering to Tank Dogma as a route to salvation.
Teams have little motivation to change– good teams happy to have more cupcakes on the schedule, and bad teams still buying into tank mode/ “OKC” model want the status quo.
But hurts fans that just want to see more competitive games–even when involving NBA team that aren’t their favorite.
I’d like to see non playoff teams rewarded with MORE balls for winning not losing, not penalized by giving more lottery balls to those teams winning than those tanking. It’s always more fun watching games with something on the line– you’d almost have teams trying to win to achieve a better chance in the lottery. Watching two teams that WANT to lose is the pits as a fan.
One could argue–a team on the edge IN for playoffs could tank to finish out– but that is tempered by missing out on that (minimum) first round playoff revenue.
You could also just distribute all the out of the playoff teams lottery balls evenly.
Tanking is horrible– since it rarely works you have that team irrelevant for a decade or more.
Not shocking at all. The teams that voted for change, might have hoped to get a break by better odds.
At least now, a team that happens to be really bad, will have chance to get better. They shouldn’t be punished for 1 bad apple.
Sixers are going to lose in the end anyway. Interest in Sixers is way down. It will be years before they make playoffs.
Actually you are wrong Fans have bought in, sure they are not going to the games. but the interest for the Sixers is at a very high leve. People from the outside looking in will never understand that.
This fan base is in it for the long haul