VILNIUS, Lithuania — After an overnight flight connecting through Helsinki, Finland, I bumped into a scout for the Denver Nuggets near the tourist information booth at the quaint little airport here where the second round of EuroBasket is taking place.

Whether he knows it or not, he may be here scouting future third-round draft picks.

That’s right: Third round.

SheridanHoops.com has learned that NBA owners have proposed adding a third round to the annual draft, a proposal that the players’ union has countered by offering an array of changes to the draft that would help address the owners’ desire for more competitive balance.

According to sources involved in the league’s collective bargaining discussions, the union has proposed various changes to the draft:

_ Under one proposal, the 15 teams with the worst records would continue to pick 1st through 15th, but then would also have the 16th through 30th picks. The teams with the top 15 records would have the first 15 picks of the second round, then would have the 44th through 60th picks, too. Under this proposal, the Chicago Bulls (whose 62-20 record was the league’s best last season) would have the 45th and 60th picks instead of the 30th and 30th picks. The Minnesota Timberwolves, who had the NBA’s worst record (17-65), would have their lottery pick and the 16th pick, but would no longer have the first pick of the second round — No. 31 overall.

_ Under another proposal, the teams with the eight worst records would get an additional first round pick, beginning with selection No. 22, and the teams with the eight best records would have no first-round picks but would select at the top of the second round (picks 31 through 38), then also would get the final eight picks of the second round.

There hasn’t been a third round in an NBA draft since 1988 (Anthony Mason, selected by Portland, was the most memorable pick of that third round), as the following season the draft was shortened to two rounds. The draft was seven rounds from 1985-87, and longer before that (Little-known fact: The Chicago Bulls drafted sprinter Carl Lewis in the 10th round in 1984, even though he had not played high school or college basketball. That was the same year Chicago drafted Michael Jordan No. 3 overall).

The draft negotiations have been one of the few side issues that have been discussed during the labor talks, which have centered mainly on the split of revenues between the owners and players. As reported here yesterday, the sides are closer on the money than they have been leading everyone to believe.

Labor talks will resume today in New York.

http://sheridanhoops.com/2011/09/07/exclusive-nba-wants-3rd-round-in-draft/

I really like this idea and I think Sheridan discounts how global basketball has gone since '88. I think this would increase the number of international players in the league dramatically. I also think Sheridan's site should be added to the blogs here. He does a great job and a great source of information before the trade deadline this year.

I like what baseball does with the conditional picks best, but that's tied to free agency and not record.

If a player is ranked as a 'Class A' player (a player in the top 20 percent at his position as per the Elias Sports Bureau), and another team signs that player, the new team sacrifices their first round pick to the old and the old also receives a 'sandwich' pick between the first and second round.

If no players move, then there are no sandwich picks.

If a team signs a 'Class B' player (top 40 percent), the new team does not sacrifice their pick, but the old team gains a 'sandwich' pick.

I think this helps teams in poor markets, and also helps the players. The players are free to get more money by going for greener pastures, and the small markets get to draft the Monta Ellises, DeJaun Blairs, Gilbert Arenases, Rashard Lewises, Manu Ginobilis, etc. of the world

I would imagine when Isiah comes back he would like this.

MOre picks to trade!

loweyecue wrote:If they really want to be more competitive they should have fewer teams.
The current lottery forces the best players to play for the ****tiest teams and only a exception or two like Durant enjoy that. The mega alliances of big names is the new normal.

The goal is to find ways to strengthen teams not eliminate them. Im not sure we need to contract as the pool of players seems to be growing overseas. I don't think your incorrect that contraction would be a very short term quick fix but if the goal of the NBA is to have teams worth $450 million and them going away means $900 million is lost. Gone.

Is it right or wrong? It just is.

The great ones will still get paid. The idea is to move bad contracts quickly so teams can give deserving players a chance to earn themselves and be of value to the teams.

ItalianStallion wrote:Rules like these would give some marginal teams an even greater incentive to dump games late in the season because the draft would become so valuable.

Isn't this always the case?

We talking non playoff teams. Playoffs MAKE MONEY! Incentive of player playoff bonus, coach playoff bonus.....etc is good enough.

Getting another mid round pick is not like taking to get a franchise player in the first 3 overall picks.

ItalianStallion wrote:

Nalod wrote:

ItalianStallion wrote:Rules like these would give some marginal teams an even greater incentive to dump games late in the season because the draft would become so valuable.

Isn't this always the case?

We talking non playoff teams. Playoffs MAKE MONEY! Incentive of player playoff bonus, coach playoff bonus.....etc is good enough.

Getting another mid round pick is not like taking to get a franchise player in the first 3 overall picks.

The bad teams would get greater value out of the draft than they do now. That only serves to increase the incentive to dump. Yes, some dumping occurs now. But everyone that knows they out of the playoffs and even some very shrewd franchises that are willing to think longer term would be better off dumping that being the 7th or 8th seed and going out in the first round.

thats true. the incentives of having a good playoff team is reward enough. the question is whether they will still have the lottery for the first 12 picks. i hope so since i always loved the draft. i support three rounds however there have been many players in the second round who dont make a team so how relevant will a third round be?

ItalianStallion wrote:

Nalod wrote:

ItalianStallion wrote:Rules like these would give some marginal teams an even greater incentive to dump games late in the season because the draft would become so valuable.

Isn't this always the case?

We talking non playoff teams. Playoffs MAKE MONEY! Incentive of player playoff bonus, coach playoff bonus.....etc is good enough.

Getting another mid round pick is not like taking to get a franchise player in the first 3 overall picks.

The bad teams would get greater value out of the draft than they do now. That only serves to increase the incentive to dump. Yes, some dumping occurs now. But everyone that knows they out of the playoffs and even some very shrewd franchises that are willing to think longer term would be better off dumping that being the 7th or 8th seed and going out in the first round.

Not sure what they are offering is worth dumping the season. Its pretty well established now that teams can't depend on dumping with the current lottery system.

jrodmc wrote:See??? the hockey references have started already!!!

Hockey's a niche sport.