NBA Owners Want 3rd Round in NBA Draft

Sheridan is at it again, delivering a rumor that has everyone talking.

Personally I'm all for expanding the draft and beefing up the D-League. But it isn't that simple according to the report. They want to drastically shift the order in order to help lottery teams even more.

Exclusive: NBA wants 3rd round in draft | SheridanHoops

_ 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.

I'm still wrapping my mind around the ramifications of doing such drastic changes to the current system. Don't the proposed changes add incentive to borderline playoff teams to tank? How do you handle trades of future draft picks? What changes will be made to the D-League and age limit along with such a rule change?

And of course, how would this impact the Celtics? In the near future, it would obviously hurt us as I would assume we'd be in the playoffs. But what of the post-Big 3 era? How far will we drop and how quickly? And what of that top-10 protected Clippers pick?

I've got more questions than answers, but the folks in the below links think they have it all figured out (to a point). My first instinct is that I don't like it, but I have to admit that there is some logic behind it. What do you think?

• The Point Forward " Posts Altering NBA draft could be costly, ineffective
• Report: Draft options being explored in CBA talks - CBSSports.com
• NBA Draft's Third Round Might Be Best Thing To Come From Lockout - Ridiculous Upside
• How The NBA Lockout Could Make The NBA Draft Go Crazy By 2012
• In-depth look at proposed draft rule, including a Retroactive Draft | Celtics Town
• Agents pushing for clear union strategy - NBA - Yahoo! Sports