I’m sure there are a few things on your mind that you would want to change if you were in charge for a day. Let’s take a crack at some of the things that I would change if I were in charge for a day or two. I am first going to start with the NBA and see how you feel about the changes I would make to the current landscape of the sport.
#1: Preseason Games
Preseason games would be limited to 4 games; 2 home and 2 away with a neighboring team. There’s no need for drastic travel plans in the preseason and a short bus ride should be just fine. I believe there are too many preseason games right now. You have all summer to work out players, figure out your offense and defense, and know who your starters are and rotation. No team is every really starting from scratch and even with a new coach in the mix; I am sure they are already aware of the players on the team before they accepted the position. Because of the shortened preseason games though, I am fine with ticket prices being the same as regular season tickets. Sorry fans, no discounts for preseason, maybe just have the players be more readily available for autographs and pictures with fans. Teams should be able to capitalize on the preseason with getting players and fans introduced and getting to know each other before the season starts.
#2: Length of Regular Season
82 games is a little to long for me and I don’t believe players truly get an offseason to go home and be with family. The regular season can be long and grueling, not giving players an option to really take a breather, like a summer break in college. A lower amount of regular season games also means that every game is just that more important. Teams (like San Antonio usually does) would not have as many “off nights” to rest their stars because one or two losses may end up being the difference between home court advantage or even just making the playoffs in general. I am going to lower the regular season games to 64. Why? Because 60 is not enough and 70 is not taking enough off.
#3: Playoff Scheduling
I’m still all right with 8 teams from the West and 8 teams from the East. There is nothing wrong with that. Scheduling however needs to be changed. I do like the changes made a while ago for 7-game series in each round of the playoffs, so I am not going to change that. I am going to change where games are played. The first 2 games are home court advantage. The next 2 are at the visiting teams home. Then we are going to travel back to home court advantage for the next 2. Then game 7 is going to be determined by whoever has the most points in the last 4 games. Simple as that because I am tired of the 2-2-1-1-1 that we are currently in.
The other playoff scheduling changes will be that each round is set for a 1.5 week stretch. If your team wins in 4, then you get the extra time to wait for your opponent. Rounds will be scheduled according to a set time of days. The sooner you win your round, the longer you have to rest until the next round begins.
#4: Championship Scheduling
The Championship will consist of 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 with a game on every other day. Yes, for the championship teams, it means lots of traveling … but you’ve made it this far for both teams and I don’t want you relaxing on the last part of the season because you know you have 2-3 games at home to start the series off. Prove to me you are a champion. You will now have more time to rest in the off-season.
#5: Draft Order
The NBA is going to start following the NFL way and stop the stupid draft night and pin pong balls. It’s a straight up way to proceed for the future.
#6: Salary Cap
Strict/Hard salary caps for all teams at a competitive level so not team can have 3+ all stars, unless all players agree to take lower salary amounts to play together and stay under the hard salary cap.
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