Pick Watch 2018

[ColdPickleNachos]

Hawks and Bucks are tied with 3:30 to go.

 

[pokerface]

http://www.tankathon.com

Number two!

Number one!

 

[Mainstreet]

One, three and four.

So using the NBA's theory of relativity.... the Suns draft...

 

[pokerface]

Now how do we hold on to this spot??? Booker and Payton are going to have a say in this draft.

 

[Mainstreet]

Now how do we hold on to this spot??? Booker and Payton are going to have a say in this draft.

Good question. One has to ponder, are the Suns really this bad or does Triano have the magic touch.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

While I would love for the Suns to get the #1 pick (we certainly deserve it!), my main concern is them ending up in the top 7. Luckily, that's looking good. To pick top 7, the Suns realistically need to finish in the top 6.

Six teams are hot trash, including the Suns.

The only concerns beyond that are Chicago, Brooklyn, and New York.

Chicago has some real talent and Lavine is looking good.

Brooklyn does not own their pick. That has to mean something as the season winds down and the tanking heightens.

The Knicks have a five game lead on us.

 

[pokerface]

Today a lot of our competition plays games against so so teams while we play the Jazz who are on a ten game win streak. Should be interesting.

 

[Carolinacacti]

Heat lose.

 

[pokerface]

Heat lose.

Yeah and that was the big news of the evening. At least something panned out.


Suns need to lose tonight just to keep the status quo.

 

[Beaver]

Tank (or status quo) for Ayton at this point.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Well. The big story with the Miami pick is whether Detroit can catch Maimi for the final playoff spot in the East. It will probably be the difference between the 15th and the 11th pick, even if its a tie-breaker of some sort.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Well. The big story with the Miami pick is whether Detroit can catch Maimi for the final playoff spot in the East. It will probably be the difference between the 15th and the 11th pick, even if its a tie-breaker of some sort.

Man that’s potentially a big swing. And it could make te difference of being able to trade up to nab two of the difference makers in this class (I can keep dreaming).

 

[GatorAZ]

Well. The big story with the Miami pick is whether Detroit can catch Maimi for the final playoff spot in the East. It will probably be the difference between the 15th and the 11th pick, even if its a tie-breaker of some sort.

Am I the only one that would sign up for the 15th spot right now so there's no guarantee of it moving into the top-3?

 

[Hoop Head]

Zach Lowes' weekly "10 things" article focuses on tank race this year.

The article leads off with this...

There are eight teams with records between 18-41 (Atlanta and Phoenix) and 20-37 (Chicago), with the unicorn-less Knicks (23-36, losers of eight straight) making a late push to join the slap-fight.

It also discusses whose picks are owed to who and what teams shouldn't be tanking but are in that pack. Here is the link for it.


I didn't realize the tank race was that tight despite checking Tankathon a couple of times a week. I guess I only focused on the Suns positioning and record. I didn't pay much attention to who else was at the bottom of the standings.

 

[Errntknght]

I mentioned it a couple of weeks ago... mainly because I mistakenly thought we had an easy schedule and going any kind of a run at all would kill our chances. It turns out we have only 6 games against <500 teams and 17 vs >=500. I don't know if that is the toughest schedule among the contenders for worst record but it figures to be. Still I hope Triano and McD keep an eagle eye on what transpires and are willing to do whatever it takes to keep us well in the hunt.

 

[3rdside]

It’s the last season ever of tanking being rewarded - send in knight on one leg if you have to, bring in a g-leaguer and let him shoot 1-28 every game...whatever, Just tank the sh*t out of it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[pokerface]

It’s the last season ever of tanking being rewarded - send in knight on one leg if you have to, bring in a g-leaguer and let him shoot 1-28 every game...whatever, Just tank the sh*t out of it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No doubt. I don't want the suns to relinquish their spot. They need to keep the pressure up!

 

[Mainstreet]

Bad teams are always going to tank for better lottery odds even if the odds are decreased. It's a disgusting matter. Of course I want the Suns to get a top pick in the upcoming draft but I do not condone the system. The new lottery reform may lessen tanking but it will still go on.

Perhaps a player rating system that somehow calculates which teams have the worst players might determine a better draft order.

Punishment for teams blatantly tanking might be another option but it would tale a strong commissioner to implement.

I'm inclined to give every team equal odds in the lottery but with a provision those teams who draft 1-3 cannot repeat drafting there again for a three year period.

 

[ArizonaSportsFan]

Way too easy to "rig" the last idea there. And I don't doubt it would happen. Too much money involved for it not to.

A player ranking index might be interesting. Or some formula which uses record and player ranking against how many games those players were "truly" eligible - again, tough to determine actual injuries from tanking injuries.

Basketball is so tough, because one player makes all the difference. No other sport (perhaps a QB in football) has this same problem.

 

[leclerc]

It’s the last season ever of tanking being rewarded - send in knight on one leg if you have to, bring in a g-leaguer and let him shoot 1-28 every game...whatever, Just tank the sh*t out of it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

From hell's heart I stab at thee (#1 pick)!

 

[Mainstreet]

Way too easy to "rig" the last idea there. And I don't doubt it would happen. Too much money involved for it not to.

A player ranking index might be interesting. Or some formula which uses record and player ranking against how many games those players were "truly" eligible - again, tough to determine actual injuries from tanking injuries.

Basketball is so tough, because one player makes all the difference. No other sport (perhaps a QB in football) has this same problem.

Actually I think the last idea, a straight 30 ball lottery would be harder to rig. It could even be shown in public which would be a huge improvement. If one or more of the teams selected 1-3 in the previous three drafts they would simply pushed back in the draft just outside the top three picks in accordance with draft order.

This is the tricky part, figuring out predetermined landing spots in the draft for teams previously drafting 1-3 in the last three years. Perhaps a chart could be created showing where those team would land.

I would not want the ping pong balls to be scrambled a second time which allows for more ambiguity.

The player index rating is a great idea theoretically if an accepted formula could ever be created.

 

[pokerface]

There is nothing wrong with tanking. Bad teams need a way out. Furthermore there is nothing wrong with fans enjoying a good tank.

MS you should be more concerned about loaded teams getting more talent...aka Golden State.

 

[DevonCardsFan]

There is nothing wrong with tanking. Bad teams need a way out. Furthermore there is nothing wrong with fans enjoying a good tank.

MS you should be more concerned about loaded teams getting more talent...aka Golden State.

Exactly Warriors are destroying the NBA!

Not tanking..... Suns tanked and got Jackson big whoop. 76ers got Fultz and it didn't change the NBA landscape . Warriors did. We all know who is winning the championship before the season starts. Takes the fun of out of the season

 

[leclerc]

Shouldn't luxury tax even the playing field and stop teams from getting too many stars? Maybe it should be a hard limit so the rich/willing won't be able to get around it.

 

[Mainstreet]

Shouldn't luxury tax even the playing field and stop teams from getting too many stars? Maybe it should be a hard limit so the rich/willing won't be able to get around it.

The luxury tax hasn't helped with the top teams who are willing to pay for championships. It has created some parity with the lesser teams but they are not the problem.

It's a tough fix without a hard cap.

Maybe double or triple the luxury tax.