To Fix Philadelphia 76ers, NBA Should Expand Draft

Dec 7, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Jerry Colangelo (R) is introduced as special advisor to the Philadelphia 76ers during a press conference with owner Joshua Harris (M) and general manager Sam Hinkie (L) before a game against the San Antonio Spurs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

The Fix

In the meantime, there are angry and upset NBA executives that want the NBA to seal the back door approach taken by the Sixers.   They fear other teams will recognize and folow the strategy, severing the NBA into a league of two halves.  Some teams will be in serious post-season competition, and some teams simply trying to remain afloat while they reload their talent base,   losing games in the process.  However, as long as so many talented young men remain undrafted, there will be general managers who recognize the system for what it is – an opportunity.

So how does the NBA stop this?  Simply stated, they expand the draft to four rounds.  How does this help?

The pool of talent is rich and robust.  Teams who are successful have no interest in developing a player for several years.  Team who are unsuccessful have no interest in waiting multiple years to see if the player “pans out”.  So the talent pool becomes stagnant, with only a handful of teams shopping among the group.  That excess of talent versus the few teams willing to afford a player an opportunity gives the NBA team an advantage.  Sam Hinkie has become a master at using that to his advantage.   His contracts are structured to give unproven talent high initial salary. But the terms of the contract give the team the opportunity to retain or sever the relationship with the player.  Most teams try to limit the risk by low-balling salary up front.  Hinkie limits risk by focussing on the contract severability.

Expanding the draft places all thirty teams into that second tier market. With an NBA roster of 20 for preseason, an NBA draft of four rounds syphons off an additional 60 players, some of whome to teams whom would never shop from those players on their own. The extra two players who are signed to an NBA roster now have a fighting chance of making an impression, would be protected contractually by CBA provisions, and afford opportunities to players who are worth an NBA assessment.  But most of all, it would dilute the pool of talent and distribute players among all 30 NBA teams.

Yes, teams looking to rebuild would still be challenged to resist the path blazed by Sam Hinkie.  But the NBA salary cap is rising in upcoming years, which mitigates the urgency to shed expensive contracts.  Adding to the NBA draft would be good for the players, and therefore be very good for the NBA.

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