RealGM

Simple in theory, complex in reality.

I say allow drafted players to play in college.

Yes, I realize the NCAA would have to change its rules, but I believe that they would rather have NBA teams paying players then college schools.

How I think it would work.

A player can declare for the NBA after high-school. If they don't get drafted then they can still play in college and re-enter the draft the following year. If they do get drafted they still have the option of playing in college. If the player decides he wants to spend a year in college the team that drafted him doesn't lose his rights for the year and they pay 1/4 the salary of his draft position. His four year contract begins when he plays in his first NBA game.

A player coming out of high-school is NOT required to declare for the draft. So if they want to take a risk and spend a year improving their draft stock they can.

For example lets say the Aaron Harrison declared for the draft after high-school. He was picked in the late first, say 26th overall by the Grizzlies. The Grizzlies don't think he's ready to contribute and Aaron wants to play right away, so he commits to Kentucky. He plays two years at Kentucky while getting paid by the grizzlies. Each year he spends in college he gets paid at 1/4 the salary of his draft pick, so his pay would increase each year. He decides that in year 3 he wants to play in the NBA so he signs his contract with the Grizzlies for 4 years at what ever pay a 26th pick would make that year.

Another example would be a player like Yogi Ferrel. Lets say Yogi declares this year. He's picked with 30th pick by San Antonio, who doesn't think he's ready for the NBA. So they send him back to Indiana for a year.

This would help the NCAA by allowing players to stay in school longer and would bring them more viewers as NBA fans would want to watch players their team as drafted and It would help the NBA by giving them a legitimate farm system.

They only problem I have is how players drafted in the second round would be payed. but that is something that can be worked around.

FLAME AWAY!

So basically players would already be assigned a team, much like international players, and when Team wants them, they can bring them in. Of course in the system, Silver would still make it a 1 year mandatory visit.

But this would open up the idea of "Degree in Basketball", where players join the school as basically fund raisers. NBA pays them, and NCAA continues to profiteer off the backs of these student athletes.


Personally my genius idea, that makes total sense. Make it 1 year mandatory in the new and improved NBA Jr. aka NBA D-League. Think about if NCAA was cut out of the loop of profit, and went to an Olympic type attitude. More importantly, it would legitimize the Minor League of Basketball, which sucks in comparison to Baseball and Hockey. For example, SLC Bees, have thrived since Franklin Covey days, well Utah's D-League team didn't even last a couple years. I think more people went to Utah's WNBA games. So when Jazz got a new d-league team for the Jazz revolution, they are just gonna keep it in Boise, in an amazing untapped market.

But think about that. All players would get drafted out of high school, they would have the money, the doctors, and the proper nutritionists, all developing them like super athletes. It would be a place where these kids could be put on a team to develop skills for their real team, not just generalized study, then later randomly assigned. A player like Fredeette could have been someone, but BYU's program doesn't cater to NBA stars.

Even more importantly above all else. It gives international players a place to come and develop without feeling stupid for leaving guaranteed money on the table. Do you think a guy who plays for Olympics, who makes 1 mil a year, on 2 year contracts, is gonna leave all that in Spanish League for the D-League, um, freaking no way. Not in current setup. But if this international flavor could come over, and actually face USA's best, and actually make real money, it would bring a new age of basketball, the likes we haven't seen.

I guarantee in a world, where all NBA players have to play 1 year in Minor League, and all the best international players came here, I guarantee that the Minor League of Basketball, would be as quality of basketball as we see today in NBA, definitely better quality than any international leagues. NBA would produce better talent.

Think about players who grow up playing for their Countries team. They are with same group from a young age. You embrace that type of experience with NBA teams.

Even if you don't draft players till after their 1st year, your still legitimizing the Minor League, and making hundreds of millions of dollars that NCAA is raking in for the less than 100k per player in college degrees.

I can picture it. Just like when NBA had regional draft picks. Each team would have a sense of pride in their draft picks, more so than they do now. Meaning, Rudy Gobert could have been with Jazz since age 17-18. Meaning we could developed him into the great Center this league has ever seen. Instead he was in France being held back by his surroundings. I could only imagine if guys like him could make it here sooner, and develop their "college years" with NBA Minor League rather than international leagues. *No offense to international leagues, there are some great ones, but I am talking about the length of time with 1 group as the reason for as "better".

How about NBA GMs dont draft guys until they are ready

CaliBullsFan wrote:How about NBA GMs dont draft guys until they are ready

If only.

I say they just make players go all four years. Suck it up and do what really matters...GET AN EDUCATION! By going all four years they will get more basketball knowledge, and be better prepared for professional play and life after.

ZGendron317 wrote:I say they just make players go all four years. Suck it up and do what really matters...GET AN EDUCATION! By going all four years they will get more basketball knowledge, and be better prepared for professional play and life after.

This.

I dont like watching bad teams trying to develop 19 year olds who will most likely turn out to be bust.

How about they make it 3 years. You can be drafted right out of hs and play in the d-leauge, go to school for three years, play overseas for three years, or any combination of the above. Obviously draftees would have to choose overseas or d league

ZGendron317 wrote:I say they just make players go all four years. Suck it up and do what really matters...GET AN EDUCATION! By going all four years they will get more basketball knowledge, and be better prepared for professional play and life after.

This would never hold up in court when challenged.