Fixing Minor League Basketball

[pickIBL]

There are just some things I like about baseball. Other than maybe the Cubs I really don't watch a lot, but I just love the system. You start in rookie ball as a teenager and then you move up through the ranks until you hit triple A. If you are lucky you get a shot in the big leagues.

I'm not a big fan of NCAA basketball. The only reason I watch it is to check out the various prospects and to support the local teams a little. I don't think it prepares players for pro basketball like the NBDL or old CBA and IBA could do for players. If you are not playing with pro rules and a 24 second shot clock it is a lot harder to evaluate you and figure out how you will do as a pro.

The problem I have with David Stern is that he is in bed with the NCAA. NCAA basketball should be more like NCAA baseball. Sure there will be some talent but lots of young prospects will go the minor league route. First Stern has to get out of bed with the NCAA. If I was advising some kid ranked say 40th in the nation as a high schooler I'd tell him to go sign a contract to play in the LEB Gold over in Spain or something like that. Sign a 3 year deal with an out after the 2nd year for the NBA. You won't make Brandon Jennings money but you might still pull down 6 figures a year. Plus you get free housing and transportation. If you aren't projected as a first rounder just sign with a team in the ACB for half a million euros or something. By that time you would be automatically draft eligible. You'd have your option of staying in Europe or trying the NBA.

To avoid this the NBA should fix their illegal age rule and the draft. First the NBA should put together a 7 day predraft camp for players in early June (after graduation) for all graduated high school seniors and all early entry college candidates and seniors. The camp should be set up to gather the measurements and run the tests, but then the focus needs to move on to drills and actual scriminaging.

The top 200 ranked high school players should get an invite to attend along with all 18 year old international prospects that choose to attend (and have at least one NBA team interested in watching them). After the camp the high schoolers (and internationals) get to decide if they want to stay in the Rookie Draft. At the end of June the NBA should set an entire day (start at 10am) for draft day. They should start the morning with the rookie draft and end with the regular 2 round NBA draft.

The rookie draft should be 3 rounds deep (would likely include a pool of up to 250 players when you consider all the high school and international players that stay in). Only 90 players total get drafted in the rookie draft. The remaining go on to various colleges and international teams.

The standard NBA draft should remain the same. Like college baseball there will be some talented sophmores and freshman coming out but it won't be the same as before. I'd keep the draft lotto system for this draft. But with the rookie draft I would do it a little differently. I would reward the NBA champions with the first pick in the rookie draft. Then I would change the lotto system to be more random. I'd treat all lottery teams the same (no rewards for losing) and all playoff teams the same. With a playoff team you'd designate two balls with their logo on it. And with a lotto team only one. So playoff team has twice the chance of getting pulled out than a lotto. But the great thing about it is that a playoff team could get a high pick if it lasts long enough. There are no guarantees even with the worst record that you don't get the last pick.

So assuming no teams trade their picks and own the rights to all their own picks... each team will get a a first, second, and third round pick in the NBA rookie draft... and they will get a first and second round pick in the standard NBA draft. (5 picks total)

The new collective bargaining agreement should reflect salary structure changes because teams are drafting more players. First round standard draft players should start on a lower scale. The first pick might start out making $2.5 million a year over 3 years and the 30th might start at 800k over 3 years. The second round should allow 2 year deals from the min. up to 500k a year.

The rookie draft 1st overall pick might start out as a 4 year contract starting at 3 million a year with a 5th year team option of 4.5 million. The bottom of the first round might look like a 4 year deal starting at 800k with a 5th year option at 1.5 million. The second round might start at 500k a year and end at 250k a year (with 5th year team options). The third round would be 100k a year with a 5th year team option.

Once players are actually in the NBA they at least must make the NBA min. rate until their contract runs out or they are sent back down to the minors. So if a 3rd round rookie draft guy came up to the NBA in his second year he wouldn't be making 125k or something... he'd make the league min while in the NBA. The NBA should keep the 15 man nba roster with 12 allowed to be active during the game. But they should allow teams to hold the rights to all players they draft or trade for in the minor leagues. However once the original contract runs out NBA teams cannot re-sign players to minor league contracts under 350k. After the original contract (upon being drafted) runs out the player must either make the 15 man NBA roster (and agree to a contract) or he becomes an unrestricted free agent who can sign with a NBA team, go overseas, or sign a minor league contract directly with a minor league team. Signing a d-league or cba level contract might be worth 15k to 40k a year and a summer league contract with the USBL or IBL between 1k and 5k... so ideally if these vet players aren't in the NBA they'd want to go overseas. Also veteran NBA players on the NBA roster should be allowed to go down to rehab an injury. Each team should be allowed to send a veteran outside of their rookie contract down after an injury for up to 5 games a year (but of course being paid at their NBA contracted rate).

The salaries actually start out lower but the pool of players is deeper. This is good for the players union because it allows a lot more guys to be getting paid even while in the minor leagues instead of not making anything with the NCAA. It is good for the NBA because they only offer big contracts to guys that prove themselves. There are less busts. And players develop faster for the NBA game.

The NBA should cotinue with their D-league model only trying to limit costs more. Ideally teams should play in venues that seat 3500 to 6000 and not 17,000. They should have games spread out so they can always travel by team bus. They should play a lot more cluster type games to keep travel expenses down (basically not very many Maine vs. Bakersfield games). The NBA should focus on developing only profitable NBDL teams. The NBA can then use these profitable teams to help subsidize minor league player salaries. Like if the player is down in the minor leagues the minor league team would be responsible for paying say 30k of his 125k salary. Outside of teams designating players to the NBDL the NBDL should continue with its draft and individual team try-outs to keep rosters full.

Shortly after the NBDL season starts the NBA should have a recognized affliate AA type season start. They should develop the CBA to create profitable franchises (in places like Minot) in venues that will seat at least a few thousand. The CBA should take trickle down players that were cut from the NBDL along with players from individual team try-outs. The league should also be used for NBA teams to send say a 3rd round rookie draft guy down to get lots of PT.

That's how I'd fix the minor leagues. I'd also replace the NBA summer league with the USBL/IBL type situation and send all the young developing talent to play there over the summer. Those leagues would also help subsidize salaries. So Minot might pay 30k of a player's 100k salary while Salina, Kansas (exposure league team of the IBL/USBL) pays 10k. The NBA team would only be responsible for 60k of the 100k salary.

[jman3134]

Some interesting ideas being put forth here. I do not feel that I could simply stand behind it because of its NBA-oriented approach. Certainly it makes sense for them. But, how are they going to effectively remove NCAA basketball with March Madness etc? Even if they attempted to establish this system, it sort of hinges on some players coming over from college to develop their talent. Sure, it may reflect directly on their desire to simply play NBA ball, which many recruits come in thinking. However, is it really not better to be exposed to top tier coaching at some point? Do you really feel that the Bob Knight's and Coach K's would flock to the minor leagues? With a diluted talent pool, there is very little for them to work with and they would not be paid the same figure salaries. Also, you are underestimating the collegiate appeal, which comes with being a top level player on campus. These students are largely given free tuition and treated as Gods on campus. Why turn that down when you can also have the NBA after your 3/4 years?

I like the ideas and I believe that the NBA might be able to fund it if it is able to compete with European domestic leagues etc. (if the caliber player is there) And, it would definitely appeal to some career oriented players, but certainly not the vast majority. There is no history of this like there is in Europe. So we are creating something out of nothing, which could be problematic.

And, because of the way the system is currently set up, I doubt it is going to change for a long time coming.

[pickIBL]

I do not feel that I could simply stand behind it because of its NBA-oriented approach.

Certainly it makes sense for them. But, how are they going to effectively remove NCAA basketball with March Madness etc?

However, is it really not better to be exposed to top tier coaching at some point? Do you really feel that the Bob Knight's and Coach K's would flock to the minor leagues? Also, you are underestimating the collegiate appeal, which comes with being a top level player on campus. These students are largely given free tuition and treated as Gods on campus. Why turn that down when you can also have the NBA after your 3/4 years?

And, because of the way the system is currently set up, I doubt it is going to change for a long time coming.

ok I pulled a few things out I like. First we agree this is an NBA-oriented approach. Considering some of the financial issues of the NBA they should be looking at doing things that makes sense for them.

Basketball is basketball to a certain extent, but I think minor league ball is better for developing NBA talent. The college level is mostly played at the rim level while in the NBA its an above the rim game. The shot clock is a major adjustment. The difference in the three point line that cleans up the clutter exists. A lot is different.

As for coaching. As you develop minor league markets you draw more revenues which over time allows you to spend more on coaches. And I'm sure the coaches will like the lack of NCAA regulations. I'm sure Quin Synder does and he is a fantastic coach at the D-League level (players are in very capable hands with him).

You don't get the big man on campus treatment (agreed). But you can get injured tomorrow so you might as well get paid 6 figures from day one. If the NCAA decides to pay players maybe that would make it more of a challenge for players to make a decision. I'm ok with that.

I agree we won't see major changes to the point where it becomes the minor league system in baseball, but I do think we see changes. First I expect Europe to try and take advantage of the NBA's age rule. I also note the NBA is looking for revenues. March Madness brings in a lot of those. I 100% believe the NBA (in this economy) is trying to figure out how they capture those dollars.

If I was running the NBA I'd expand rosters to be more like baseball and have a rookie draft. It screws the NCAA, but that is good for players and good for the NBA itself.

As for an education. Nobody stops these players from going each summer until they graduate. They certainly can afford the tuition.

[jman3134]

You're paying chump change in the minor leagues. So if you get injured, it is much better to at least have a free college degree under your belt, rather than minor league money under your belt necessary to support a family. You can afford tuition with minor league money?

Why not? It is better for the players as a whole to receive and education even if basketball is their main focus. So, it is a matter of looking out for them as human beings. And, why not build a relationship with the NCAA, if you know that the vast majority of your players are going to come out of there?

I honestly disagree that minor league basketball as it is currently played really develops NBA talent as much as NCAA ball. The D league is mostly about player development and rarely focuses on the team dynamic. NCAA basketball is largely a product of system play and visionary coaches. (which is largely what these D League level players will be called to do) Snyder was virtually run out of the NCAA- otherwise, he would still be there. The pay would certainly not be the same as that of the NCAA.

Are you saying there is no shot clock in NCAA basketball? Or how about the 5 second rule? The three point line adjustment is not enough of a reason to restructure the entire NBA feeder system. Most three point shooters do not have that much difficulty.

[pickIBL]

You can afford tuition with minor league money?

Why not? It is better for the players as a whole to receive and education even if basketball is their main focus. So, it is a matter of looking out for them as human beings. And, why not build a relationship with the NCAA, if you know that the vast majority of your players are going to come out of there?

Are you saying there is no shot clock in NCAA basketball?

My proposal lowered what the top draft picks made, but all draft picks were paid 6 figures.

They can recieve an education in the summer with basketball as their main focus. The only difference is the NCAA can't profit off them without paying them.

There are a lot of rule differences between the NCAA and the NBDL. The much shorter shock clock which speeds up the game (which makes it harder for short unathletic players) is one major difference.

Why don't we let the parents/guardian and the player look out for his best interests? There are a lot of people unemployed right now that have gone way beyond a BA (graduate school). Their competitive advantage is with a basketball. That's why they'll go make Euros in Italy if that's not fixed.

Why not partner with the NCAA? Because you want their revenues. Same reason Coke wants to kick RC Cola's behind in sales and not share.

[jman3134]

Why not let the parents look out for their best interests? Well, in impoverished areas, parental support is not always there especially for an education.

How do you plan on stopping the NCAA's stranglehold. Truth be told, NCAA basketball will always earn more money than D league basketball. It's not about the level of play, but the entertainment value. There is no way to entice coaches to come unless they cannot get a job in college ball. The NBA throwing money at it? Do you really think that this would be a viable solution?

The best that the D league can hope for is a viable alternative to basketball overseas. I agree that this should happen because it would have some entertainment value. However, this would never take precedence over college ball. There is no realistic, logical way to go about shifting allegiances. History, etc. are against this idea.

[pickIBL]

Why not let the parents look out for their best interests? Well, in impoverished areas, parental support is not always there especially for an education.

How do you plan on stopping the NCAA's stranglehold. .

True some of the kids are in that situation. Generally those are the ones that need the money the most as well. You've got to look at both sides of the coin. Is the 2 million dollar a year coach using the top 100 prospect who may come from an impoverished area really doing what is best for the kid?

I'm willing to find out. You put together a rookie draft. Everyone that gets drafted is at least making 6 figures. They require in the contract that they attend a 4 week rookie orientation program in July. You teach them about the basics of budgeting, money management, adult relationships, and just all around life skills. It is a program you could continue sending tutors to mentor young guys and keep them on the right track. Could even get them in an online college like Upper Iowa University which is a not for profit. D-League players have studied at the University of Phoenix (but I'm not a fan of that school... well business)

According to my proposal the first rookie taken would start out at 3 million a year. The rookie taken at the end of the third round (18 year old kid) would have a 4 year 400k contract with a 5th year team option of 150k. Assuming the young guy never gets called up to the NBA he'd make 400k by the time he was 22. If he got called up he'd at least make 350k a year (or prorated if it is part of the season). So yea I'd say he could afford to get himself an education. And even if he doesn't make the league he can go make money in Europe at the end of that deal.

How do you get rid of the NCAA stranglehold?
http://www.draftexpress.com/rankings/NCAA-Freshman/

This link is to the top 61 NCAA freshman according to draft express. If they all would have been drafted in the rookie draft they'd have contracts worth 6,7, and a few would have low 8 figures.

Over time the talent level will drop in the NCAA. Interest will drop as well and the NCAA turns into college baseball.

I'm all for finding out what's in the best interests of these 18 year old adults who can drive a Hummer in Iraq. Let's see what they can do in the NBDL.

[Cuban_KILLS_us]

I think your plan may not be workable. As you noted minor league BB pulls 800-4000 per game. How exactly is the NBA going to pull enough to pay 10-15 players say 50-100K each? Owning a developmental league doesn't create enough value for the NBA to blow money on it. TV doesn't clamor for D-League basketball. Really the D-League is just a place where teams can send raw talents for a year or two to get their legs vs. lesser talent. That's why the NBA guys make the big bucks and everyone else in the D-league makes squat.

Also I am a fan of the old days of College basketball and I HATE the early entries. Totally immature and without any sense. Garnett and James are the the rare exception of player who jumped from high school who have any character or discipline.

Let the those whiney brats go play in Europe and find out what the real world is like if they want --- I could care less, but I would impose a minimum age of 21 for admission into the NBA. I don't think that could be deemed illegal because they are a private league. They can set their own rules. There are enough examples of immature behavior and the breakdown of their caliber of play for them to win a challenge.

The early entry rule has destroyed an entire generation of NBA centers (and 4/5's) who tradionally have needed 4-5 years of collegiate instruction to develop. Stromile Swift, Kwame Brown, Tyson Chandler, Eddie Curry, Desagana Diop, Steven Hunter, Nikoloz Tskitishvili, Chris Wilcox, Darko Milicic, Kendrick Perkins, Robert Swift, Patrick O'Bryant, Spencer hawes, Robin Lopez, JaVale McGee, Kosta Koufos, Hasheem Thabeet, and BJ Mullins could have been 2-3 times better with additional years of college training or euroball not only on the court but also helping them develop eating plans, weight training, and better conditioning habits. ALL of these guys had the talent to start in the NBA.

Even the guys who "hit" like Amare Stoudamire, Andrew Bynum, and Marvin Williams aren't what they could have been. Imagine if Roy williams had Stoudamire for 4 years. No way would Stoudamire be the defensive sieve he is today. Or Dwight Howard? Imaging if he had a polished offensive game from going to Georgetown or UNC...

Letting babies into the league has destoyed both the college and the NBA game.

Some tweaking by the NBA and the NCAA could fix both games.

The NCAA would be far better off to run it's OWN summer basketball camp (The summer school challenge? lol!) for undergrads. They could invite 100 players ---say the 3-7 best players in each conference per NBA scouts --- plug them on to 10 teams and play a double elimination tournament to pay for the thing and maybe go to charity. Having a pool that large would also help the networks ID the small college superstar (ex. Stephon Curry) and get those small schools on TV.

NBA (and other league) scouts could attened with the public.

Then the NBA could have their draft after the tourney and the NBA's camps. Instead of underclassmen declaring for the draft, the NCAA would ask underclassmen to declare thier intention to PASS and have their names taken off this list until the next NBA draft.

The NBA would have access to draft any high school player who opted into the draft, college player (who didnt pull out of the draft), or foreign player under 21 who opted into the draft in the top 7 picks, but any foreign (under 21), high school, or college player not drafted in those first 7 spots would no longer be available to be drafted until the following draft. Anyone who left their name in the draft pool and got drafted would lose their eligibility.

You could even tweak it further and say that Juniors have until #20 to get drafted.

Now if those kids are hardship kids they can go play in europe or wherever, but most of the kids in college and high school would go to college and learn.

This would erase tragic early entry mistakes like Robert Swift or Patty Mills.

The colleges would be offering it's players the ability to get a high paying job with a safety net for those who aren't ready. Top Centers would reappear in the collegiate game and in a few years they would reappear in the pros.

If the D-League is a money pit, the answer is to fix the college game, not throw more money at the babies.

[Cuban_KILLS_us]

18 year olds don't need to be making more than 20K playing basketball. The biggest problem with the NBA is that they have a bunch of txtty babies in the league learning how to do basic things like dribble the ball or get position in the low post properly. On top of that, most of them are wildly out of control off the court, acting like the poorly educated lottery winners they are. Eddy Curry anyone?

You honestly think a LEAGUE of highly paid brats is going to attract fans or be in the best interest of the NBA? Do you think the NBA wants to deal with a 24 year old brat star who has been coddled for 6 years and hung around with other uneducated lottery winners?

You are talking about building a league based on the least popular thing in the NBA --- rich spoiled brats! Who is going to pay to watch it?

I think people liked the CBA because it was filled with poor hungry players who worked their butts off to join the NBA. You are talking about building a league of punks who think they are entitled to big money.

[pickIBL]

18 year olds don't need to be making more than 20K playing basketball.

Do you think the NBA wants to deal with a 24 year old brat star who has been coddled for 6 years and hung around with other uneducated lottery winners?

Who is going to pay to watch it?

Seems to work ok for baseball... in fact I'm suggesting a system much more like baseball (the only loser would be the NCAA). NBDL players can go to the University of Phoenix. And I think the D-League should expand educational opportunties for the players.

When it comes to what 18 year old players should make (regardless of baseball or basketball) your opinion really doesn't matter... the market does. Fact is Spain will pay a high school junior a lot more than 20k... so because of this system it pulls students out of high school to go to Europe.

You don't think college campuses turn athletes into brats? I suggest you go visit one.

Your first point was that a lot of young athletes in the NBA are still learning the basics. All the more reason to add roster spots and develop a real minor league system. So at 20 or 21 when the player gets to the NBA... he's ready to go.