NBA Lockout: Should Extending The Draft Be Included In The New CBA?

by Scott Schroeder on Jul 26, 2025 6:00 AM EDT in NBA Draft 2011

The NBA lockout is on Day Too Long To Not Even Be Having Any Sort Of Discussions With The Important People, as those following this mess are well aware.

With this current labor impasse, however, we're left without a lot of news when we should instead of be talking about how the San Antonio Spurs signed the next Gary Neal (remember the good ol' days?).

One of the topics that are currently available to talk about, however, is how the new Collective Bargaining Agreement could help the NBA's Development League. I've already looked at the situation briefly in a post for SBNation.com, and even went into a bit here at Ridiculous Upside, but SB Nation Philly's Kevin Owens raised a point I'd suggested before that didn't make it into either of the preceding links: Should the NBA expand its draft?

If the NBA were to implement a third and possibly fourth round, it would allow teams to take a chance on guys who, with the right coaching, could become talented NBA players. The NBA could restructure the ruling on younger players becoming drafted. Players directly out of high school could be drafted, but not eligible for the NBA during their first year. Drafting players based on potential would suddenly make sense.

Drafting based on potential has always been one of my biggest pet peeves in the NBA. Not because I don't agree with it, but because the twenty year old with a high ceiling gets a roster spot, while the older, more experienced player who has dominated the potentially good player everyday in practice, is released.

Owens is a bit of an expert on the topic as the current writer spent three seasons playing in the D-League with the now-defunct Roanoke Dazzle following a five-year stay in college at Monmouth. There's no doubt there were a few teams that passed on bringing him to training camp as they looked for younger players with more potential.

In the end, I would probably prefer that the two sides just come to an agreement as quick as possible, but focusing on the ancillary issues such as this would certainly be okay with me as long as the NBA comes back sooner rather than later.

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I absolutely love this idea!

It would be a bit like the MLB farm system.

As a fan of the Wizards, I would have loved to see guys like Hamady NDiaye, Kevin Seraphin and even Trevor Booker go through a farm system before being called up, instead of riding the pine behind the likes of Hilton Armstrong and Yi Jianlian…

Also, if every team has its own affiliate, those teams could play the exact same offensive and defensive schemes as their big league counter part. That way, farmsystem prospects don’t have to adjust to new rules and new systems as much but can pretty much jump right in and show what they can do.

However, one could argue this hurts the college game and its probably pretty expensive to have an affiliate, let alone salary structures…

"My logic fails all the time...especially when talking to females" Rook6980

by Dutch Hoopfan on Jul 26, 2025 2:53 PM EDT reply actions

I'm a huge fane of giving more guys a chance to show what they can do. It would be very expensive though.

Welcome to RU Dutch. Will you be hanging around for a while?

Go Suns, Packers, Jays, and Huskers!

Green Bay Packers: Super Bowl XLV Champions!!!!

I also edit things at Ridiculous Upside. Check it out.

by Omaha Sun on Jul 26, 2025 3:15 PM EDT up reply actions

Not necessarily more expensive

If combined with the other salary ideas in the stories I linked to above.

I write about basketball players with Ridiculous Upside. I know you'll love it.

by Scott Schroeder on Jul 26, 2025 4:38 PM EDT up reply actions

Tnx.

yeah, I never really took the time to look around here but I like what I see so far! :-)

"My logic fails all the time...especially when talking to females" Rook6980

by Dutch Hoopfan on Jul 27, 2025 3:54 AM EDT up reply actions

This SBN NBA site tour I'm going on is really starting to look like a great idea.

It improves my write-ups and also draws in more readers. It seems like not many people know about RU.

Go Suns, Packers, Jays, and Huskers!

Green Bay Packers: Super Bowl XLV Champions!!!!

I also edit things at Ridiculous Upside. Check it out.

by Omaha Sun on Jul 27, 2025 1:39 PM EDT up reply actions

I like the idea

especially the drafting out of high school with the expanded draft.
I think this is probably something that will be lost with everyone focused on getting as much money as possible.

Geelong Cats for Premiers 2011.
Rich Cho - lead us to the promised land!

by Warmec on Jul 26, 2025 10:53 PM EDT reply actions

The players negotiating are all veterans in the league.

They regard potential D-league assignments for themselves as a purgatory to be avoided. And so, the expired CBA has the two-year limit on D-league assigments.

But players entering the league, they have no real problem selling those guys out. And so, the rookie cap, for one example.

I’m not really sure how they’d see this idea. In principle I’ve always thought the players were the ones who negotiated to shorten the draft to begin with….

by feral on Jul 27, 2025 7:04 PM EDT up reply actions