Adam Silver, Time to Act

Adam Silver, as the new NBA commissioner, it's time to face another difficult task in the NBA. This time, it's fixing the discrepancy between the West and the East. It's no secret that a load of Eastern Conference teams are tanking and trying to get high draft picks. Look at the Boston Celtics, who basically gave away Rajon Rondo to the Dallas Mavericks, the Detroit Pistons getting rid of Josh Smith (although that actually might help them basketball-wise), the Brooklyn Nets cleaning house, and the 76ers... well I don't think I really need to explain that situation. Either way, one thing we can be grateful for is Chris Bosh not going to Houston or Carmelo Anthony going to Los Angeles, because the discrepancy would have been even worse. The Eastern Conference has such weak talent compared to the West that there are at least 12 Western Conference teams that could easily make the playoffs in the East.

That being said, Commissioner Silver, you must do something to punish these teams that are purposely losing and getting rid of their best players. This has to be done by changing the draft method. I suggest making it so that Conferences alternate between draft picks (1st pick being worst pick in one conference (East with the worst record), 2nd being worst pick in the other (West), 3rd going back to the East, 4th going to the West etc...). This would make there some incentive for the Eastern Conference teams to start playing real basketball and stop putting their players on the bench for "precautionary reasons" (76ers) and trading all their star players away for mediocre draft picks. Is it really fair that the Western Conference team has to play 3 rounds in the playoffs before going to the finals and the Eastern Conference team having basically a BYE (possibly two) before heading in? The Commissioners last response was that he doesn't believe any team is tanking, but don't kid yourself, Mr. Silver, there is plenty of tanking going on, and it could get worse if nothing is done about it.

Lastly, how are ticket sales going to do if the league keeps tanking? Fans can only be patient for so long. After a while they are going to get fed up with the losing, especially if ticket prices don't go down. This is poor marketing for the NBA and although it doesn't show much yet, it will in the future. These teams have no exciting players to watch or any hope for competitiveness on a night in and night out basis. NBA fans all have one thing on their Christmas wish-list, a competitive NBA, where all teams compete and a new draft system.