From an ESPN article....
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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Now I understand Jeff Van Gundy's point, that this could potentially stop teams from tanking the season but I think he is missing the point of the draft. Which is to make the worst teams in the league better by giving them a chance to pick a player who might make them a better team. This is done to create better competition throughout the league.
Maybe it is just me, but I see having all teams with an equal chance of winning the #1 pick like saying if you have enough money as a team/team owner, go ahead and buy whatever players will allow you to win a championship. Maybe I am wrong.....
So I was thinking, could we maybe combine the two. Continue the existing draft format but include all of the teams. So the worst team has the most balls in the lottery and the best team has the least balls in the lottery. It could almost work, but then I was thinking okay, whoever wins the championship, would have 1 ball in the lottery, and the worst would say have 30 in the lottery. Just by sheer percentages and odds, the best time is most likely going to get 1 ball because what are the odd of that one ball being picked with the 30th pick? 1 in 465? How about the worst team getting the 30th pick? 30 in 465. It just doesn't work out. So really I say lets leave the format the way it is....
Is there a way to fix the draft from teams tanking it? What are your ideas?
