Should the NBA Abolish the Draft? The Case for a Rookie Free Agency System

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Adam Silver says the league would “seriously consider” rookie free agency if it ends tanking.

A draft-free system changes incentives for “poverty franchises,” but risks star clustering.

Alternatives like post-elimination win incentives exist.

Is the NBA Draft on the chopping block? Commissioner Adam Silver said that he and his advisors would “seriously consider” replacing the rookie draft with free agency if it’s the only definitive way to end tanking.

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I am fully onboard with this idea!

With the 2026 tanking crisis reaching a fever pitch following record-breaking fines for the Jazz and Pacers, the league’s “flattened odds” lottery experiment has officially failed to deter strategic losing.

As owners grow restless over plummeting ticket sales in rebuilding markets, the nuclear option of a rookie open market is no longer just a “think-piece” theory; it’s a looming reality for the next NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Eliminating the NBA draft would actually help small market teams

Claiming small-market teams would be “cooked” is the wrong takeaway.

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Players prioritize money, usage, and minutes, which are resources that are limited on every roster. A top rookie might choose the Charlotte Hornets over the Los Angeles Lakers if Charlotte can guarantee 35 minutes a night and the “keys to the franchise,” whereas the Lakers might only have a bench role available.

Each team would actually land players who want to be there and are more loyal to the franchise. Players would choose teams based on coaching staff and training facilities rather than being “forced” into a bad situation. This shifts the burden onto front offices to be competent to attract talent.

I opened the debate up on TikTok and was immediately met with hundreds of hot takes as well as a few intriguing solutions. Here are some of my favorites, along with my personal responses.

What NBA fans are saying

M.T.C||.vids: The NBA should NOT remove the draft. Players won’t willingly move to bad teams that have no chance of winning…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/nba-abolish-draft-case-rookie-164900802.html

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Publish date : 2026-02-23 00:55:00

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