NBA Tanking

[UNC-75]

The new norm. Tanking by many teams trying to improve their lottery picks. Adjusting to trade deals made years ago to preserve a pick by resting anyone capable of getting a few points. Disgusting. The lottery and the prolonged season ruining the game for fans of those teams either tanking for better lottery positions or resting players to keep healthy for the playoffs. Why not cut 20% of the schedule (and maybe 20% of the salaries as well) so there are less meaningless games that many folks are trying to lose. Oh how much more fun college basketball is to follow/watch even with the one and dones.

 

[gauchoheel]

I also prefer college basketball. I don't think cutting the NBA schedule is the answer though. They simply need to reward teams less for finishing at the bottom of the standings. I've heard having a playoff of the losing teams suggested before. Or just having every non-playoff team get an equal chance at the top few picks. I think both could be valid (and the former even fun) ideas.

 

[UNC-75]

Well something needs to be done to address this problem and soon.

 

[Spaceytoyz]

I like the Heels better than the NBA, but I would take the NBA over the rest..

 

[UNC&ME]

Lakers tanking..but Magic Johnson has charming smile!!!..Lakers will continue downward,,but give 'em time, right?...as said a few years ago..too many teams,too many mediocre players/management

 

[TarHeelMark]

Well, seeing as how the lottery is rigged anyway, does tanking really help?

 

[Archer2]

No offense, but I couldn't care less about the NBA these days. Nor the NFL, nor MLB, nor almost all pro sports. I much prefer college sports.

 

[imajericho]

How are the lakers tanking if they won 4 in a row and are in danger of losing their draft pick to the sixers if the lotto into the 4th slot?

 

[TarHeelNation11]

The new norm. Tanking by many teams trying to improve their lottery picks. Adjusting to trade deals made years ago to preserve a pick by resting anyone capable of getting a few points. Disgusting. The lottery and the prolonged season ruining the game for fans of those teams either tanking for better lottery positions or resting players to keep healthy for the playoffs. Why not cut 20% of the schedule (and maybe 20% of the salaries as well) so there are less meaningless games that many folks are trying to lose. Oh how much more fun college basketball is to follow/watch even with the one and dones.

Tanking isn't what ruins it for the fans. The lack of competitive balance in the league is what kills it for the fans. @Hark_The_Sound_2010 talked about this in the ill-fated One And Dones thread.

The NBA has always built its appeal on star power, rather than team brand loyalty. Thus, you've created a golf or NASCAR type of fandom where a lot of NBA fans are fans of a player/player(s) rather than fans of a team. They're not Heat fans or Warrior fans, they're Durant fans and LeBron fans and Westbrook fans. This doesn't apply to all fans obviously, but it applies to a decent amount.

Now, with players banding together and forming super teams, you have a situation where 95% of the teams have ZERO shot of winning a title. None. Zilch. Everyone who watches the NBA knows that Cleveland or Golden State is going to win the title. So the season could be 82 games, 41 games, or 162 games, and it wouldn't matter. Until the league drastically improves its competitive balance problem, the vast majority of NBA teams will be irrelevant. Compare that to the NFL where like 50% of the league's teams have a legitimate shot at the Super Bowl each year.

 

[UNC-75]

How are the lakers tanking if they won 4 in a row and are in danger of losing their draft pick to the sixers if the lotto into the 4th slot?

Because the Kings were tanking even worse on one of those W.

 

[imajericho]

Because the Kings were tanking even worse on one of those W.

Pretty sure the Kings don't even get their draft pick this year and it is the Sixers (I think). So what are they tanking for?

 

[UNC-75]

Tanking isn't what ruins it for the fans. The lack of competitive balance in the league is what kills it for the fans. @Hark_The_Sound_2010 talked about this in the ill-fated One And Dones thread.

The NBA has always built its appeal on star power, rather than team brand loyalty. Thus, you've created a golf or NASCAR type of fandom where a lot of NBA fans are fans of a player/player(s) rather than fans of a team. They're not Heat fans or Warrior fans, they're Durant fans and LeBron fans and Westbrook fans. This doesn't apply to all fans obviously, but it applies to a decent amount.

Now, with players banding together and forming super teams, you have a situation where 95% of the teams have ZERO shot of winning a title. None. Zilch. Everyone who watches the NBA knows that Cleveland or Golden State is going to win the title. So the season could be 82 games, 41 games, or 162 games, and it wouldn't matter. Until the league drastically improves its competitive balance problem, the vast majority of NBA teams will be irrelevant. Compare that to the NFL where like 50% of the league's teams have a legitimate shot at the Super Bowl each year.

I certainly can't argue about that. Lets take it to the extreme and play just the playoffs, do away with the regular season and just pick the best 8 teams to move into the playoffs. The other teams don't even have to play at all. Heck, it would allow for more hockey games on tv to fill the void. Now that's what I call league improvement!

 

[UNC-75]

Pretty sure the Kings don't even get their draft pick this year and it is the Sixers (I think). So what are they tanking for?

At risk of losing a pick if they don't fall in the top ten picks because of a trade in 2015. They are playing d league guys and resting 3-4 players every game making a mockery of the situation - not that anyone including Sacramento cares about the team.

 

[Hark_The_Sound_2010]

Just wait for the Lakers to "magically" win the lottery from the 3 or 4 spot. The Lakers pick goes to Philly if it's outside the top 3. And if that happens, they also owe their 2019 1st to Orlando. No way the NBA let's that happen. You can bet your mortgage that the Lakers will be safely in the top 3.

 

[imajericho]

Just wait for the Lakers to "magically" win the lottery from the 3 or 4 spot. The Lakers pick goes to Philly if it's outside the top 3. And if that happens, they also owe their 2019 1st to Orlando. No way the NBA let's that happen. You can bet your mortgage that the Lakers will be safely in the top 3.

Right now they would be 3rd so someone would have to jump into the lottery to push them out. They were 2nd before their winning streak so it actually hurts them a lot to be 3rd as only 1 team has to jump them.

 

[Hark_The_Sound_2010]

Right now they would be 3rd so someone would have to jump into the lottery to push them out. They were 2nd before their winning streak so it actually hurts them a lot to be 3rd as only 1 team has to jump them.

Yes. What I'm saying is that even though there is currently over a 53% chance that they get bumped out of the top 3 (per the chart) don't expect it to be allowed to happen.

 

[dgheel57]

It wouldn't hurt my feelings if the league folded.

 

[slothrop8]

It doesn't bother me. Even if the franchise is tanking, the players aren't trying to lose - they go out and give their best effort, trying to win themselves a job in the future. It is what it is - it's what happens at the end of pro sports seasons for the teams that are out of it. In baseball the rosters expand to 40 in September and teams that are out literally play minor leaguers and start AA pitchers to get a look at them for the future and nobody is remotely concerned about it.

 

[gauchoheel]

Tanking isn't what ruins it for the fans. The lack of competitive balance in the league is what kills it for the fans. @Hark_The_Sound_2010 talked about this in the ill-fated One And Dones thread.

The NBA has always built its appeal on star power, rather than team brand loyalty. Thus, you've created a golf or NASCAR type of fandom where a lot of NBA fans are fans of a player/player(s) rather than fans of a team. They're not Heat fans or Warrior fans, they're Durant fans and LeBron fans and Westbrook fans. This doesn't apply to all fans obviously, but it applies to a decent amount.

Now, with players banding together and forming super teams, you have a situation where 95% of the teams have ZERO shot of winning a title. None. Zilch. Everyone who watches the NBA knows that Cleveland or Golden State is going to win the title. So the season could be 82 games, 41 games, or 162 games, and it wouldn't matter. Until the league drastically improves its competitive balance problem, the vast majority of NBA teams will be irrelevant. Compare that to the NFL where like 50% of the league's teams have a legitimate shot at the Super Bowl each year.

Sort of ironic that you mention this on a college sports board. 90% of D-1 college teams have no shot at winning a title in basketball or football in any given year. I'd say there's really not much parity in either. The pro leagues are generally better, although I'll grant you the NBA is one of the worst.

I don't know that parity is all that important really. The Premiere League has no parity and it seems to be doing well. Tournament game ratings are much higher when they're UNC or Kentucky than Wichita State or Butler. I think the NBA is pretty happy with the star image it fosters. Another way to think about it, do you think Jordan and the Bulls hurt the NBA's popularity? On the contrary, I think most people as fans love seeing dominant teams and players.

 

[Tru Blu Tar Heel]

My biggest concern with how the NBA does business is that they incentivize losing. The worse your record, the better chance you have of moving to the top 3 in the draft. I say either have teams that don't make the playoffs play a single elimination tournament for draft order or have every team out of the playoffs have equal chance at moving into the top 3.

 

[Tru Blu Tar Heel]

And as far as teams stock piling talent, adjust the salary cap to where a team can have no more than 2 max salary players at any given time.

 

[UNC-75]

My biggest concern with how the NBA does business is that they incentivize losing. The worse your record, the better chance you have of moving to the top 3 in the draft. I say either have teams that don't make the playoffs play a single elimination tournament for draft order or have every team out of the playoffs have equal chance at moving into the top 3.

Well, your idea of having all non playoffs team have an equal chance at top 3 would solve most of the problems. Teams could still test out d-league players and rest older players with an eye towards next year which seems like their right. And yes, I agree with the poster who mentioned the players are giving it their all. But the owners/coaches resting all the talent while the average fan still pays out all the money for a ticket is not good for the sport. Now, should they adopt your idea, do you now think that we still might see a team last in for the playoffs tank so they don't have to be swept by Golden State but instead have a chance at a top pick? Perhaps, but I doubt that would be a problem.

 

[UNC-75]

And I just read that Brooklyn tonight will rest their 3 top players against Chicago. Brooklyn has the league's worst record at this moment. Exactly what are they resting their players for, the team annual end of year BBQ badminton game?

 

[Hark_The_Sound_2010]

And I just read that Brooklyn tonight will rest their 3 top players against Chicago. Brooklyn has the league's worst record at this moment. Exactly what are they resting their players for, the team annual end of year BBQ badminton game?

Ya, not sure why they're resting. The Heat and Pacers should be pissed.The Bucks are also resting against the Celtics tonight - which makes a little more sense as I think they're pretty much locked into their spot.

However, that means that the Celtics will be the #1 seed in the East. The fact that the #1 seed in the East is 30/1 to win the championship shows the state of the NBA these days. It's been a two horse race for the entire year - the regular season and the playoffs up until the Finals have been and will continue to be meaningless.

 

[tarheel0910]

Heck, it would allow for more hockey games on tv to fill the void.

People watch hockey?

 

[Hark_The_Sound_2010]

People watch hockey?

If you're getting an itch for a competitive playoff structure to fill the void between the NFL/NCAA playoffs and the MLB playoffs - I'd suggest tuning into the NHL playoffs. It's not a forgone conclusion like the NBA ones are.

 

[tarheel0910]

If you're getting an itch for a competitive playoff structure to fill the void between the NFL/NCAA playoffs and the MLB playoffs - I'd suggest tuning into the NHL playoffs. It's not a forgone conclusion like the NBA ones are.

I'd rather watch sports than hockey.

 

[Hark_The_Sound_2010]

I'd rather watch sports than hockey.

Looks like Nascar might be more your speed then.

 

[tarheel0910]

Looks like Nascar might be more your speed then.

I'm more of a hobbyhorse guy.

http://horsenetwork.com/2017/03/welcome-world-competitive-hobbyhorse/

 

[tarheelinfl]

And I just read that Brooklyn tonight will rest their 3 top players against Chicago. Brooklyn has the league's worst record at this moment. Exactly what are they resting their players for, the team annual end of year BBQ badminton game?

Do they have 3 good players?

 

[tarheelinfl]

Give all teams not in the playoffs the same chance in the lottery.
Or reward teams with the best records after being eliminated from the
playoffs, that way they would have a reason to try to win, not tank.

 

[UNC-75]

Do they have 3 good players?

They are resting Lopez who's brother on the Bulls directly benefits by his sitting

 

[UNC-75]

Also, Pelicans resting both big guys to tank last night. Disgusting IMO.

 

[UNC-75]

Give all teams not in the playoffs the same chance in the lottery.
Or reward teams with the best records after being eliminated from the
playoffs, that way they would have a reason to try to win, not tank.

I like this!!

 

[JimmyinVA]

i love college sports. i have no problem filling up my recreational time with college sports. no nba, nfl, or mlb for me. if i had more free time i would watch more college sports.

 

[HeelFan58]

The Cavs tanked and lost the 1st seed in the East.