The Sixer Sense
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Should league fix NBA Draft that helped to rebuild Philadelphia 76ers?

By Bret Stuter

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 22: The draft board is seen displaying picks 1 through 30 after the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 22, 2017 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 22: The draft board is seen displaying picks 1 through 30 after the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 22, 2017 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 26: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver attends the 2017 NBA Awards at Basketball City – Pier 36 – South Street on June 26, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 26: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver attends the 2017 NBA Awards at Basketball City – Pier 36 – South Street on June 26, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images) /

Poison pill strategy

But the “fixes” are like taking huge doses of poison for a common cold.  It all dilutes or outright destroys the competitive balance of the NBA.  If you don’t know what I mean, consider the fact that two of the NBA’s most successful teams, the Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Lakers, are now competing for high draft picks.

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    • How does this happen? And how can it be prevented?

    Let’s face facts.  The entire focus of “how do we fix the lottery” is aiming at the wrong goal.  The goal is how to improve the competitiveness of lower performing teams in the NBA, without incentives to compel those teams to make tactical decisions to perform poorly?

    So what drives the rush to be bad? Is it truly “tanking”?

    Teams don’t tank, they aim at the future

    No.  Despite all the hot take media decrying of teams trying to improve from a barren wasteland of the NBA basement, the athletes and coaches have only one thing in mind – winning.  There  is no reward for the players to fail on the basketball court. And ultimately, the game outcome is decided by the players.

    When the NBA “gets it”, the true fix can begin.

    The NBA has not adequately addressed the development of raw but talented players.   For years, the only strategy available to many teams is the draft and stash approach of selecting a player known to be under contract internationally.   It has been the only “rights retained” approach to the process of securing future talent.