The realignment game

[m2002brian]

Let's all make a new league! The say the eastern conference has it easy with their short travel, and out west everybody is flying all over. So, I thought we could even out those travel distances.
I have made a league similar to baseball/football. I call it the NBA, it consists of the ABL and the NBL.
I really thought about those names for a while...or not. I've also, for the sake of evening out the conferences, created two new teams.

NBL
-EAST
--bos
--nyk
--cle
--mem
-NORTH
--mil
--ind
--tor
--st.l (new
-WEST
--phx
--uta
--sac
--lac
-SOUTH
--sas
--hou
--nop
--mia

ABL
-EAST
--nyn
--was
--phi
--cha
-NORTH
--chi
--min
--det
--k.c. (Or Cincinnati) (new)
-WEST
--lal
--den
--por
--gsw
-SOUTH
--dal
--okc
--atl
--orl

And ... That's all folks

[prefuse73]

Meh.. if were to start a new league I would cut down the number of teams and the number of games.

24 teams with no conferences or divisions. Double Round Robin meaning each team plays every team twice (1 home and 1 away) for a total 46 games in the regular season. Play two games a week with at least 2 off days between games. Season would last about 6 months (roughly November through March). Every game counts, injuries goes down, quality of play goes up through less games, more rest, and a condensed talent base.

Top 8 teams make the playoffs which will be best of seven each round.

No guaranteed contracts. pay would be adjusted each year based on an overall statistic (per, win shares, whatever) adjusted by number of years with same team with additional team based performance incentives along the way. There would be a hard salary cap however.

just spit ballin'

[MaxMN]

You think St. Louis and KC (or Cinci) would be able to support an NBA team?

Personally I would cut a few NBA teams, I'd get rid of: the Magic, the Clippers, the Kings, and the Bucks.

I'd have it be a 75 game season with a playoff play-in game.

I would also do a lot with the current CBA.

[MaxMN]

Actually I would have the NBA be like the EPL where losing teams get relegated. There should be two leagues, one for the top 14 teams and one for the bottom 14.

The bottom and top 3 from each league switch leagues halfway through the season. The bottom league would have a lottery for draft picks and the top league would draft based on how they faired in the playoffs/tournament that every team is a part of.

[prefuse73]

yeah I like the EPL structure as well. Talk about a way to discourage tanking... how about being relegated to the lower league with the lower attendance and less t.v. revenue which comes with it.

[FinnTheHuman]

yeah I like the EPL structure as well. Talk about a way to discourage tanking... how about being relegated to the lower league with the lower attendance and less t.v. revenue which comes with it.

Football's relegation system along with more financial freedom inevitably leads to the establishment of eternal big and small teams. NBA's communistic set of rules and structure allows every city to be relevant at some point at least.

[C.lupus]

They really just need to break it into 4 divisions (West, South, North, East) and get rid of the conferences. Four games against your division opponents and two against everyone else. That's roughly 70 games per season, which is plenty. Top 16 teams get in the playoffs. No back to backs.

[MaxMN]

I would like to be in a division with Chicago and Milwaukee.

Especially with a Wiggins and Parker boarder battle rivalry!

[GopherIt!]

TWolves Fan Snowbird Division

MN
Mia
Orl
Phx
LAC/LAL
SAS
NOP

Wolves go on an extended division road trip Jan-March.

[IncredibleHulk]

If they do anything that adds another team or two, Seattle has to be one of them imo. Always loved watching the SuperSonics, and the town has shown it can support an NBA team.

Always thought it would be cool to see Vancouver get an NBA team again too, especially with how popular basketball has become in Canada.

[rugbyrugger23]

Get rid of all conferences and divisions.

77 game season. First 62 games everyone plays everyone. Teams would have travel weeks, hitting cities very near each other, limiting miles (think Cali swing or South swing).

Followed by 1 week of Allstar/Fan/Fund Raiser week. Similar Allstar events, added huge fan interaction events (like ABL), and massive charity fund raiser activities.

Final 15 games:
Top 16 teams play each other all teams and equally. Bottom 16 teams play each other all teams and equally. Teams would have travel weeks still, playing in very near cities, limiting miles.

Playoffs:
Top 16 teams make playoffs based on overall record (then strength of schedule). No matter from Top or Bottom flights. Gives bottom 16 teams motivation to try and use their strength of schedule advantage to play-in to tournament. Also motivates top 16 teams to not slack and get bumped out. Playoffs is 1-16 team ranking, based on overall record and strength of schedule. 1 plays 16, 2 plays 15 and so on.

[ace625214]

Teams around the middle before the AS break would have no incentive to win. It would be easier to lose a few games intentionally and then beat up on the bottom-feeders to make the playoffs.

[Basti]

yeah I like the EPL structure as well. Talk about a way to discourage tanking... how about being relegated to the lower league with the lower attendance and less t.v. revenue which comes with it.

Football's relegation system along with more financial freedom inevitably leads to the establishment of eternal big and small teams. NBA's communistic set of rules and structure allows every city to be relevant at some point at least.

And I prefer the system the way it is now. Yes, big markets do have an advantage but it would definitely be even worse if it was like European Football.

[JasonL]

mil should be in our divison

and we really dont need to add teams, id be fine with adding a seattle team but beyond that is too much

[Klomp]

I don't want expansion. Move teams around, but don't expand.

All these fringe cities that people think could/should be NBA cities would be perfect locations for NBDL expansion. The league is currently at 18, and I think the goal should be to have 30 NBA-NBDL partnerships.