Some other random ideas: Winning team gets to have someone participate in every event at all-star weekend. Winning team gets a single unlimited-value trade exception. Winning team gets to amnesty a contract. Winning team gets to replace their last names on jerseys with any nickname or other message they want, anytime they want, for the rest of the season. Winning team gets an extra share of the luxury tax revenue dispersal, even if they're a taxpaying team (half goes to team, half goes to players). Winning team gets moved up in the draft 1/3 closer to #1 than their original pick slot, and any pick obligations for that year are pushed out to the next offseason (Stepien-be-damned). I dunno...not a whole lot of things (outside of money) that are likely to motivate the players.
I still think it should be some sort of playoff incentive and yes money. The incentive has to make sense for players and then fans will indirectly appreciate it. Eventually bump the salary bonus up to a couple million per player.
Oh I thought we were talking about incentivizing the teams and their fan base. The players will and do care because of the money and the extra chance to compete in games that will have historical meaning in just a few seasons. I've already explained that the first time a team wins both the in season tourney and the Finals they will be a different kind of champion, a higher level champion. That should be motivation for every team that has championship aspirations and that number is likely larger at this time of the season than it is when the play-ins start. Detractors of this just don't make sense to me. It's a chance for competitors to compete for something at a time when it usually feels like they're just not. It's a chance to win a title, not as prestigious as NBA Finals Champion but still a title that teams can win over the rest of the league. They can do it all by only playing one more game and getting extra money that has real life implications for teammates on the end of the bench. The team that wins this will be celebrating harder than they do when they win the conference finals, just watch.
The extra luxury-tax share suggestion would help with that...even better if it was simply all for the players rather than the half-and-half split I suggested at first. Would an additional home game in any postseason series in which the in-season tourney winner participates be too much of a prize?
The players don’t want picks since those guys will take minutes from them. As for fan incentive, what is the fan incentive for winning in June?
Just stop. They are nothing more than regular season games that don’t mean anything more. I doubt it sticks around longer than a few seasons.
Yes that's too much - really because it's unfair to the other team that only gets 2 or 3 home games. Wouldn't seem like a fair series to have 5 home games vs 2 away. Still think HCA for the winner and playoff berth for finale loser is good. That only bumps a team down 1 spot, so 4th to 5th seed.... 6th to 7th seed... etc. Doesn't impact anything further than seeding. Or maybe just playoff spot for winner and playin for runner up. It's a real incentive that makes the IST matter more.... But not so much to be silly or take away from the rest of the season. Don't see any legit contender happy to coast the rest of the year on the 6th seed where they likely have to win 4 road playoff series. If a team wins the IST fans will want to see them in the playoffs regardless of regular season record.
I think all of this is bad. Things in April should not be determined by a single elimination tournament in November/December. The incentive for winning should be winning itself.
I love all of these, but only one…sort of, rewards the players. Think extra shares of something No back to backs the following year More national tv games More money Etc the team could also benefit with all the great ideas you stated as well
In season tournament winner incentive other than cash ideas Guaranteed tie-breaker? Guaranteed play-in? Guaranteed HCA? Some combo of above
I like the idea that it's both a guaranteed tie breaker for playoff seeding and HCA throughout the playoffs regardless of record.
I like the guaranteed play-in idea. For teams that are clearly making the playoffs though the NBA would have to offer something else for those teams I would think? How about the challenge flag idea? 1 extra each half. I think guaranteed HCA idea might be a little much.
I think HCA in the playoffs (as a one-time consumable like I mention below) and a guaranteed play-in berth would be perfect; the tie-breaker is reduced in utility if you get HCA anyway. These two prizes would make the tournament hyper-competitive not just for the elite teams but for the borderline teams too. (from my other post: Maybe the HCA would be a one-time consumable (not usable in the finals)? Like, you find out you won't have HCA after the first round. You keep the HCA in your pocket for round 2 and win anyway, then use it for the conference finals to get that extra push into the finals? Adds strategy and risk/reward to the meta-game for the coaching staff.)
