FUTURE DRAFT GAMES THREAD - 2/9/2025

[Snakebites]

I was thinking the opposite- All 4 Big 4 teams. Only teams that also have MLB, NFL, and NHL teams also playing in the same city.

But it seems too loaded.

New York
LA (Clippers and Lakers)
Chicago
Philly
Boston
Detroit
Dallas
Denver
Minneapolis
Washington
*Miami
*Bay Area

I personally would be on the fence about Miami, the Panthers don't play in Miami proper but in the larger metro area- 34 miles apart. The Bay Area (Warriors) is even more questionable given the shere size of that area and that we're relying on the San Jose Sharks to justify including them- a team that plays 55 miles away from San Francisco proper, and in a city (San Jose) that is itself one of the biggest cities in the US.

[Snakebites]

Realized I forgot Washington and Denver. So it's even more loaded.

Washington adds almost nothing. Denver adds Jokic and a decent pool of supporting players.

I think it would work with a smaller time frame or a larger pool of participants.

Maybe a very small time frame? Like starting in 2016 when the Rams returned to LA? Then it might even work with the Heat/Warriors. That's a smaller time frame than we usually use. Could be interesting.

Best available players:

Lebron (Lakers only)
Jokic
Tatum
Kawhi
Luka
AD
Steph
KD
Embiid
CP3
Butler
Rose
ANT

Seems like that would be ideal for the usual 8 we have. It's a flexible premise too- you can add or remove seasons based on how many people sign up. If by some miracle we got 12+ signups just expand it to post 2000.

[Larry_Russell]

I was thinking the opposite- All 4 Big 4 teams. Only teams that also have MLB, NFL, and NHL teams also playing in the same city.

But it seems too loaded.

New York
LA (Clippers and Lakers)
Chicago
Philly
Boston
Detroit
Dallas
Denver
Minneapolis
Washington
*Miami
*Bay Area

I personally would be on the fence about Miami, the Panthers don't play in Miami proper but in the larger metro area- 34 miles apart. The Bay Area (Warriors) is even more questionable given the shere size of that area and that we're relying on the San Jose Sharks to justify including them- a team that plays 55 miles away from San Francisco proper, and in a city (San Jose) that is itself one of the biggest cities in the US.

buffalo has played many games in Toronto.

[Snakebites]

I was thinking the opposite- All 4 Big 4 teams. Only teams that also have MLB, NFL, and NHL teams also playing in the same city.

But it seems too loaded.

New York
LA (Clippers and Lakers)
Chicago
Philly
Boston
Detroit
Dallas
Denver
Minneapolis
Washington
*Miami
*Bay Area

I personally would be on the fence about Miami, the Panthers don't play in Miami proper but in the larger metro area- 34 miles apart. The Bay Area (Warriors) is even more questionable given the shere size of that area and that we're relying on the San Jose Sharks to justify including them- a team that plays 55 miles away from San Francisco proper, and in a city (San Jose) that is itself one of the biggest cities in the US.

buffalo has played many games in Toronto.

Not where they are based. I don’t think this pool needs more teams since it also includes Denver and Washington.

I think the only question here is time frame.

[durantbird]

Greatest Coaches Pairs

Bulls Lakers (Phil Jackson)
Lakers Heat (Pat Riley)
Pistons Magic (Chuck Daly)
Pistons Philly (Larry Brown)
Boston Clippers (Doc Rivers)
OKC Denver (George Karl)

Shortlist assembled by ChatGPT, other options are Suns Houston for D'Antoni, Dallas Indy for Carlisle, Boston Cleveland for Bill Fitch and Warriors 76ers for Al Attles

[Fadeaway_J]

Think a few too many games these days are just random selections of franchises. With no other major twist, you can predict 80% of who will be taken from each team, especially in a pairs draft.

[durantbird]

Think a few too many games these days are just random selections of franchises. With no other major twist, you can predict 80% of who will be taken from each team, especially in a pairs draft.

You got a different idea? I actually wanted to play a 2000s draft. Not that this is an unusual twist but at least not a franchise list or franchise pairs

[Fadeaway_J]

Think a few too many games these days are just random selections of franchises. With no other major twist, you can predict 80% of who will be taken from each team, especially in a pairs draft.

You got a different idea? I actually wanted to play a 2000s draft. Not that this is an unusual twist but at least not a franchise list or franchise pairs

I had suggested one on the previous page (finals losers draft), but a simple 2000s draft could also work since the pool would at least be smaller than usual.

[wackbone]

I would enjoy a scavenger hunt type draft again, even if the categories are arbitrary.

I would also enjoy a draft along the lines of ones we've been doing, BUT you can only use one season per team. AKA in the current draft once I took Duncan I wouldn't have been allowed to take Wemby later. Just to add more strategy.

[Fadeaway_J]

I would enjoy a scavenger hunt type draft again, even if the categories are arbitrary.

I would also enjoy a draft along the lines of ones we've been doing, BUT you can only use one season per team. AKA in the current draft once I took Duncan I wouldn't have been allowed to take Wemby later. Just to add more strategy.

Yeah I've thought about this before. Would also force the use of more players from the less popular franchises.

[durantbird]

If you were suggesting a scavenger hunt draft, just gonna throw this idea out there.

Jrue Holiday Draft.

Unless we need a specific reason to run such a thing, like a retirement.

Philly player
Pelicans player
Bucks player
Celtics player
Blazers player
Brother in the league
First round non lottery
Moved in at least two trades?
Champ for two clubs?
Two times all star?
No all rookie?

[Laimbeer]

Can't take a player if he won a championship in that decade.

For instance, you couldn't take any 1980's season for Bird since he won a title during the 80s. You could draft a 1990s season for Bird, since he won no titles in the 1990s.

[Fadeaway_J]

Can't take a player if he won a championship in that decade.

For instance, you couldn't take any 1980's season for Bird since he won a title during the 80s. You could draft a 1990s season for Bird, since he won no titles in the 1990s.

Interesting idea. Rules out a bunch of regulars (or at least their prime versions), but still leaves enough talent to be viable.

[Laimbeer]

Can't take a player if he won a championship in that decade.

For instance, you couldn't take any 1980's season for Bird since he won a title during the 80s. You could draft a 1990s season for Bird, since he won no titles in the 1990s.

Interesting idea. Rules out a bunch of regulars (or at least their prime versions), but still leaves enough talent to be viable.

My only concern is a few elite players being available in their prime - 80s Jordan and 00s LeBron for example - and then having a big drop after several of those?

[Fadeaway_J]

Can't take a player if he won a championship in that decade.

For instance, you couldn't take any 1980's season for Bird since he won a title during the 80s. You could draft a 1990s season for Bird, since he won no titles in the 1990s.

Interesting idea. Rules out a bunch of regulars (or at least their prime versions), but still leaves enough talent to be viable.

My only concern is a few elite players being available in their prime - 80s Jordan and 00s LeBron for example - and then having a big drop after several of those?

I'm seeing very strong prime versions of Magic, Kawhi, Dirk, Shaq, Giannis, and Hakeem, plus non-champs like Chuck, Luka, Nash, CP3, Mailman, Embiid, etc. are all completely unrestricted. Considering pre-2010s LeBron is materially more expensive than usual and 80s MJ normally gets at least a slight ding from the voters, I don't think it's a huge issue.

[Laimbeer]

Interesting idea. Rules out a bunch of regulars (or at least their prime versions), but still leaves enough talent to be viable.

My only concern is a few elite players being available in their prime - 80s Jordan and 00s LeBron for example - and then having a big drop after several of those?

I'm seeing very strong prime versions of Magic, Kawhi, Dirk, Shaq, Giannis, and Hakeem, plus non-champs like Chuck, Luka, Nash, CP3, Mailman, Embiid, etc. are all completely unrestricted. Considering pre-2010s LeBron is materially more expensive than usual and 80s MJ normally gets at least a slight ding from the voters, I don't think it's a huge issue.

Maybe a nice twist on this at some point would be the player cannot be within five years of any title season. Might tighten up the pool.

[Laimbeer]

No all-rookie draft - never made the all-rookie team. This would include players who didn't make it because it didn't exist - Wilt, Russell, West, Oscar, etc. Others right off the top are Walton, Dirk, Nash, Pippen and TMac. Thin but interesting top of the pool.

Comeback draft - season selected must be immediately after a season in which the player would have been ineligible to be drafted (less then half games played or not in the league).

[Fadeaway_J]

No all-rookie draft - never made the all-rookie team. This would include players who didn't make it because it didn't exist - Wilt, Russell, West, Oscar, etc. Others right off the top are Walton, Dirk, Nash, Pippen and TMac. Thin but interesting top of the pool.

Comeback draft - season selected must be immediately after a season in which the player would have been ineligible to be drafted (less then half games played or not in the league).

The rookie idea could be narrowed to first team which brings in Kobe, Giannis, Shai, and Harden as well.

[kdawg32086]

More Ideas:
No All-NBA Draft: Only players in a season where they played for a team that didn't have a player on any of the 3 All-NBA teams in 2025 are eligible.

Relocated Franchises Draft: Only players who played for a relocated franchise or their successor are eligible.

Build your Team Game (Not a Draft): Using the typical pre-defined critera for FGA's, build the best team of 8 that you can using any players in league history.

Decade Limit Draft: Each GM is limited to no more than 2 players from the same decade, with a pool from 1970-present.

Rust Belt Draft: Only players in a season where they played for a team in the Atlantic division, Central division, or in Minnesota are eligible.

Southern Draft: Only players in a season they played for one of the 10 franchises in states considered part of the "South" are eligible.

REALGM Draft: Only players whose last name starts with the letters R, E, A, L, G, or M are eligible.

New Coaches Draft: Only players who played for one of the 6 teams with a new permanent head coach for the upcoming season are eligible, but they can be chosen for any season they played in the league, even if it was for a different team.

Modern Expansion Teams Draft: Only players who played for one of the expansion teams between 1988 and now are eligible to be drafted.

Top 5 Winningest Coaches Draft: Only players who played for a franchise that was once coached by one of the top 5 winningest coaches in NBA history are eligible.

Kardashian/Jenner Draft: Only teams who have had a player that dated one of the Kardashian or Jenner sisters are eligible.

[Snakebites]

More Ideas:
REALGM Draft: Only players whose last name starts with the letters R, E, A, L, G, or M are eligible.

No idea what the pool looks like, but this one’s my favorite.