The NBA Should Scrap the Draft Lottery for a Loser Playoff

Teams tanking their seasons to try and increase their chances at the number 1 pick in the draft has become a serious problem in the NBA. It not only detracts from the integrity of competition, but owning the worst record in the NBA rarely ensures the first overall pick in the draft. Just 6 times since 1985 has the worst record secured the number one pick. I am sick of seeing the Sixers put out essentially a D-League lineup with the hopes of adding another tally to their loss column. It's not fair to paying customers to watch their team get blown out by 30 every night.

This is why I am proposing a separate playoffs for the bottom 8 teams in the league. The 8 teams would then have a miniature playoff at the end of the regular season to earn the first pick in the draft. It would be single elimination with a consolation bracket to accurately finalize the teams' rankings and draft order (winner gets #1, runner up #2, third place #3, and so on). Similar to the relegation races in European Soccer, the playoff would incentivize teams against tanking while also adding much needed excitement to end their disappointing seasons. Championships are great and all, but watching your team salvage their season by running the table, March Madness style, to lock up the next LeBron James can be just as important for a disgruntled fan base.

Leaving the NBA draft order to chance is simply un-American. Our founding fathers would be rolling over in their graves if they knew a lottery was how we decided who gets the first pick. We need to let each team control their own destiny, because it is simply unethical for a team's draft fate to be decided by a bunch of hot and cold ping pong balls. Competition is the foundation of our capitalist society and the NBA has a duty to do the American thing and let the boys play it out on the court.