The NBA Cup

[SoberasHotRod]

I think the concept of an in-season, single-elimination tournament is great.

With regard to how the current NBA cup is structured, I think there's a lot to be desired.

I think it would prefer it if, for example, some early part of the regular schedule were used to determine a field of 16 teams. Then, those 16 teams would all go to some region* for a single-elimination tournament. There would be no more than one or two days off between games.

*I realize that 16 teams in the same city would probably create too many logistical problems. But, e.g., you could have all of these teams in the tri-state area playing at a small handful of different gyms, you could have all of them in Southern California, etc. Any acceptable region could enter into a rotation for the NBA Cup.

I was thinking about this on my way to work and here's my idea:

- Make the NBA cup the preseason
- Expand the NBA to 32 teams, or have the two teams in the G-League championship play
- Single elimination tournament
- I don't care where the venue is or how it is seeded
- Winner gets some type of competitive advantage for the season or playoffs (maybe homecourt advantage in the playoffs, or maybe the winner gets to count their 5 wins towards their season winning percentage)
- There would be loser bracket games as well that would be played like normal preseason games.

 

[slc]

I was thinking about this on my way to work and here's my idea:

- Make the NBA cup the preseason
- Expand the NBA to 32 teams, or have the two teams in the G-League championship play
- Single elimination tournament
- I don't care where the venue is or how it is seeded
- Winner gets some type of competitive advantage for the season or playoffs (maybe homecourt advantage in the playoffs, or maybe the winner gets to count their 5 wins towards their season winning percentage)
- There would be loser bracket games as well that would be played like normal preseason games.

All of this sounds interesting but now you're adding five more very competitive games to the season
Some think the season is already too long
Five more games to start season before everyone may be healthy
Maybe still keep season to 82 games or less might work
A lot to consider here What if worst team in league wins the NBA Cup etc

 

[SoberasHotRod]

All of this sounds interesting but now you're adding five more very competitive games to the season
Some think the season is already too long
Five more games to start season before everyone may be healthy
Maybe still keep season to 82 games or less might work
A lot to consider here

I'm all for shortening the season. I think the NBA should eventually expand to 36 teams (very slow roll out). Then you just play each team twice for a 70 game season. Each team plays at most 3 games per week. I might also reduce the game length to 40 minute games.

 

[slc]

I'm all for shortening the season. I think the NBA should eventually expand to 36 teams (very slow roll out). Then you just play each team twice for a 70 game season. Each team plays at most 3 games per week. I might also reduce the game length to 40 minute games.

A 70 game season and 40 minute games eliminates almost all chances of setting new NBA records
But maybe nobody cares Interesting to take a fan, player, owner poll on this

 

[SoberasHotRod]

A 70 game season and 40 minute games eliminates almost all chances of setting new NBA records
But maybe nobody cares Interesting to take a fan, player, owner poll on this

Lots of people care, but I don't. It would force us to care less about per game counting stats, which would be a very positive change in my opinion.

 

[slc]

A shorted season and shorter game time will affect player salaries
Players may complain about how grueling long seasons are but cut top player salaries by 10 million a year
and they may change their mind
Shorter season shorter games may also mean smaller team rosters which players union may not like

 

[LogGrad98]

If they are going to take this seriously I would prefer to see it be a "best of the rest" type tournament, and include the teams that do not make the playoffs once the field is determined. Could still be single elimination, and maybe the final 4 of the cup get an advantage in the draft somehow, to level out competition in the tournament. Or just stop it altogether and move on to the next inane idea to try to bolster flagging fan interest. Maybe if they put some work into making the overall a better product rather than just trying to wring every last drop of blood from that stone, you know by putting those resources into training or review programs for more consistent officiating or figuring out a better draft lottery strategy than just giving the league darlings the top picks.

Frankly I would love to see how hard the current star crop struggles if held to the officiating standards of the 80's, when you got called for a carry for 90% of the dribbling that happens today. It takes a LOT more skill to control the ball when you can't just pick it up, take 3 steps, dribble again, then take 5 steps through traffic while bowling over the defender on the way to the rim, and getting the favorable foul call. Or at least just be consistent on what actually gets called and what constitutes a foul and which 5 steps you are going to allow. Fix that **** first, then worry about how to generate interest in fake accolades like the NBA Cup. Fitting though that they name it for a piece of equipment used to cradle your balls, because it sure comes across as a full-on fondle for the league.

 

[KqWIN]

I understand that the NBA cannot be 1:1 with European football, but there a lot of great ideas there that I would like to see for the NBA Cup.

Personally, I’m in favor of lowering the # of RS games, upping the amount of cup games, and separating the two as different competitions.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

I was thinking about this on my way to work and here's my idea:

- Make the NBA cup the preseason
- Expand the NBA to 32 teams, or have the two teams in the G-League championship play
- Single elimination tournament
- I don't care where the venue is or how it is seeded
- Winner gets some type of competitive advantage for the season or playoffs (maybe homecourt advantage in the playoffs, or maybe the winner gets to count their 5 wins towards their season winning percentage)
- There would be loser bracket games as well that would be played like normal preseason games.

If you make the NBA Cup before the regular season starts, you can make it so the teams that play more games in the Cup get more rest days during the season because they will play less regular season games? Not sure how that would work scheduling wise if that is feasible.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

The NBA is annoying becusae the two most obvious fixes to the majority of the leagues problems are less games and The Wheel, but we are too stuck in tradition and capitalism to change those things