Although the “3-2-1” proposal is the runaway leader as the NBA looks to implement lottery reform, there are still a few more weeks before the league’s Board of Governors will vote on the plan. In the meantime, Sam Amick of The Athletic writes, there will be more discussions about the concept and some tweaks could be made.
As Amick explains, general managers have sought clarity on how some aspects of the proposal will work, asking the league about specific scenarios that may arise as a result of the changes to the lottery. One crucial question, which I also wondered about when I wrote about the proposed changes on Monday, is whether the rule restricting teams from winning the No. 1 overall pick in back-to-back years or landing top-five picks in three consecutive years would apply to traded first-rounders.
For instance, if a team wins the No. 1 pick with its own first-rounder in 2027 and then lands it via a traded pick in 2028, would that be permitted? According to Amick, for now, the NBA’s stance is that that would be allowed.
Here are a few more items of interest from Amick’s latest rumor round-up:
- While the precise years and dollars that Taylor Jenkins received on his new contract with the Bucks aren’t known, Amick says Milwaukee’s new head coach got a “long-term” deal with an annual salary “well north” of $10MM. Based on what we know about head coaching salaries, that should put Jenkins in the top third of the league.
- Confirming several of the top candidates previously reported by Rod Walker of NOLA.com, Amick also identifies Spurs assistant Sean Sweeney as another finalist the Pelicans are considering for their head coaching vacancy. It’s unclear whether New Orleans will pursue Jamahl Mosley now that he has been let go by Orlando, Amick adds.
- Tom Thibodeau has been out of the NBA for a year and turned 68 in January, but he remains “very” interested in returning to the head coaching ranks, league sources tell The Athletic. According to Amick, Thibodeau is seeking out the right fit to return to coaching and wouldn’t be opposed to a reunion with the Bulls.
- Trail Blazers owner Tom Dundon and general manager Joe Cronin, who are leading the team’s head coaching search, have put together a list of candidates that features nearly 20 names, Amick writes, noting that league sources say Portland hasn’t been specific about its timeline for finalizing a hire. It remains unclear how accurate the rumors about Dundon wanting to cap his coach’s salary at $1.5MM are. As Amick observes, the Blazers have pushed back on those reports, and the league’s current lowest salary for a head coach is believed to be $2MM for Doug Christie of the Kings.
Blazers are conducting their head coach search in a backwards sort of way and it’s very telling about how they’ll be running their franchise overall in my opinion.
Usually, you would go about targeting the best guy for your team, then figuring out and negotiating the salary for this guy.
But no.., the Blazers are setting the salary first and now are interviewing to see who will take that salary !!
Is this a chance to see which players are available as the Blazers seemingly look to reduce more salary off the books?
Crazy to think the Blazers are going to get a quality coach if those reports are true.
I like some aspects of the lottery reform proposal (the restrictions on how often teams can get certain picks, the trading of picks etc) but I don’t think it will go far enough to discourage tanking.
Yeah. I think it gets rid of the most egregious stuff, which is needed. However, unless they go to something like the wheel there will always be an incentive to be bad.
I would love to see the NBA take out lottery protections from future traded picks. if you’re sending a 1st in a trade, for example, it is strictly a 1st. it wouldn’t be a 1st with top three or five or thirteen protection on the pick.
They implement a lot of rules to try stop tanking and balance out competition an I think it’s becoming a little too complicated.
Just as teams can trade first round picks (super value able to less competitive sides trying to rebuild) they should make it so you can trade cap space to teams (super valuable to sides trying to win a title).
Imagine a team like the Brooklyn Nets who clearly are trying to rebuild and don’t have any massive contracts beside MPJ. They give up 10mil cap space for 1 season to say the Lakers for a first round pick.
Lakers then have the financial flexibility to upgrade the roster and be more competitive. Nets get to add more young talent. Both teams head faster in the direction they want to go.
Nets still tank for a year or two maybe but it speeds up rebuilds, while helping those already competitive sides.
Maybe the top teams fallen from grace quicker due to the lack of young players coming through but that could also be good. Less dynasty style runs.
Disclaimer the teams used are just examples. It’s not like it’s that far from being realistic cause you already have traded player exceptions, it would just be expanding that idea to something more valuable