Badger News

OK, They Can Keep These Guys....

by Bill Johnson (bjohnson@gkbsports.com)

 

The NBA lockout started at 12:00am today.

 

I am often mischaracterized as an NBA hater. Not true.

 

While I am not, in the Greenberg vernacular, a “crazy NBA fan” I do enjoy the game. I think that the current era is one of the Association’s best as far as talent and quality of play. The established stars (Bryant, Wade, LeBron) are focused and hard-working and there is a great crop of young superstars for the league’s future (Rose, Durant, Griffin...)  It should be a great era for the league.

 

The playoffs this season were fantastic. Really, every year they are.

The problem is the regular season. For me, there are two problem’s with the regular season:

 

It’s too long.

 

There are too many teams. More accurately there are too many bad to mediocre teams.

 

For me, those are the two biggest problems for the league and the two problems they should take care of with this lockout.

 

It’s time to move the NBA to a relegation system similar to European soccer.

 

I know that I’ve proposed this before, but it makes more sense than ever now.

 

There are currently 30 NBA teams. Realistically, 4 can be contracted. Say goodbye to the Kings, Clippers, Raptors, and Hornets. Yep, the Hornets. People in New Orleans are clearly too wasted to care. Once CP3 departs, there will be no reason for this team to exist.

 

So, we’re down to 26 teams. We’ll split them into two leagues:

 

The Elite League- The teams with the 14 best regular season records regardless of location. In past seasons, this would have made the league very “West of the Mississippi,” something I’m sure the suits in New York wouldn’t be wild about.

 

The Dangerous Dozen- 12 hungry franchises that desperately want back into the big time. That, or twelve kind dreggy underfunded outfits in market that can’t support the Elite League. Depends on your cup half full/half empty status.

 

Here’s how it would look in year one:

 

ELITE LEAGUE

CHICAGO BULLS

SAN ANTONIO SPURS

MIAMI HEAT

LOS ANGELES LAKERS

DALLAS MAVERICKS

BOSTON CELTICS

OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER

ORLANDO MAGIC

DENVER NUGGETS

ATLANTA HAWKS

PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS

NEW YORK KNICKS

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES

 

 

DANGEROUS DOZEN

INDIANA PACERS

HOUSTON ROCKETS 

MILWAUKEE BUCKS

PHOENIX SUNS

CHARLOTTE BOBCATS

UTAH JAZZ

DETROIT PISTONS

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

NEW JERSEY NETS

WASHINGTON WIZARDS

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES

 

I would rather not split it into divisions, but you can if you want to.

 

The Elite League will play a 52 game regular season, with every team playing every other team two games at home and two on the road. 10 teams make the playoffs. The bottom four get relegated.

 

The Dangerous Dozen will play a 44 game season, every team playing every other team two games home and two games on the road. No post season. The teams are battling for the four top spots. That’s it. That’s the list. You say “But the final half of the season could get pretty anti climatic for the fans in the bottom markets.” How is that any different than it is now? The fans in those poor markets will have to suffer through less meaningless games. Win.

 

Abolish the draft. Everyone is an undrafted free agent. You wanna play with the big boys? Prove it.

If you haven’t guessed yet, I think the concept of the “super team” in the NBA is a good one. So good, that I think every owner with the wherewithal should be allowed to build one. This plan does not indulge the teams that cry poor. San Antonio and Portland are smaller markets, yet their teams continue to be successful. Under this plan, teams that are smart and well-managed will have every opportunity to succeed.

 

Originally, I had a notion to allow the D-League teams a chance to play into the dangerous dozen, much like lower division teams in Euro Soccer can rise to play with the big boys. Problem is, the D League is just that, developmental, and I think it’s a good thing. It just prevents these teams from being anything but developmental. If only Zeke hadn’t pulled a Frank McCourt on the CBA.

 

I’m realistic. I know that my plan won’t happen. The NBA got greedy in the ’80’s and ’90’s and over expanded into market where it never belonged.

 

What gets me is the number of NBA fans, and even NBA higher ups, that think that what James, Wade, and Bosh did in Miami is a bad thing. If the NBA is entertainment, wouldn’t logic dictate that the teams are better with more elite entertainers on the floor?

 

Well, anyway, until October of 2012, enjoy college hoops!!!

 

Editor's note: Thanks to Puddles for correcting my math. I just love the idea of a 60 game schedule. My apologies to UW Stevens Point and the conference formerly known as the WSUC.

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