<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Jurassic:</div><div class="quote_post">Exactly. That is why I don't approve of the argument that young kids are taking roster spots away from deserving veterans. The GM's are supposed to know what's best, and if not they should lose their job. An age limit undermines the authority of the GM. Take Detroit for example. If they hadn't drafted Darko, Dumars would have been forced to a). draft some other guy just finishing a successful college run (lets say--Melo) or . draft a player and then trade him for a vet. Either way, it ruins the Piston's chemistry, because Larry Brown has to listen to a vet complain about minutes or some kid who was a leader in college complain about minutes. After the Olympics we all know that Melo and Brown don't mix. I'm not saying that this alone is reason not to impose an age limit, but it's an example of how it was beneficial for the team that drafted a young player. Also, we are all aware of Dumars' prowess and tact as a GM. Imposing an age limit would have forced a brilliant man to choose differently with a potentially different outcome.</div> Suppose that GMs wisen up without the age limit. What would happen is a lot of underage players would still enter the draft and get snubbed if there isn't an official proclomation that GMs aren't going to choose them, and that would really hurt them. An age limit could actually protect such players by preventing them from entering the draft in the first place. It seems to me that the teams should make an official pact not to draft underage players and make it publicly known. I don't understand why it's something the Player's Association has to agree to. Is there something illegal about the teams making that formal agree without consent from the players?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting durvasa:</div><div class="quote_post">Suppose that GMs wisen up without the age limit. What would happen is a lot of underage players would still enter the draft and get snubbed if there isn't an official proclomation that GMs aren't going to choose them, and that would really hurt them. An age limit could actually protect such players by preventing them from entering the draft in the first place. It seems to me that the teams should make an official pact not to draft underage players and make it publicly known. I don't understand why it's something the Player's Association has to agree to. Is there something illegal about the teams making that formal agree without consent from the players?</div> Well then in a certain way that would be like having an age limit in place, see the only reason why alot of the kids make the jump is cause they know GM's are going to take them. And give them that 4 year window to develope under the rookie salary. But if they see less and less GM's taken those risks. And you see more and more Lenny Cooke's in the draft then I think guys would have no choice but to go to college. Right now there is really no risk in entering the draftif you know you have tons of potiental cause thats the #1 basis of which everyone is drafting, truthfully nobody is drafting on success in college. You can have the most successful college players like say a Jameer Nelson but GM's still arent going to be overly impressed now adays cause they feel like you have showcased every thing you have already on the college level and their is very little room to get better, so thats why they rather draft a Telfair who is similar in style of game but has much more room to get better in their eyes. So if GM's start drafting guys based on what they have shown/proved they can already do along with their future potential instead of drafting on potiental alone, then it would be like having a age limit in place in my opinion
cmon <div class="quote_poster">Quoting durvasa:</div><div class="quote_post">Suppose that GMs wisen up without the age limit. What would happen is a lot of underage players would still enter the draft and get snubbed if there isn't an official proclomation that GMs aren't going to choose them, and that would really hurt them. An age limit could actually protect such players by preventing them from entering the draft in the first place. It seems to me that the teams should make an official pact not to draft underage players and make it publicly known. I don't understand why it's something the Player's Association has to agree to. Is there something illegal about the teams making that formal agree without consent from the players?</div> They could make that pact, but would any owner pass up on a LeBron James talent in the draft that is uderaged? someone would break it and take the talent which is why they need the Players Association.
I think there should be a minor league system (that part is kosher), but it's up to the team to decide whether to put them there if they aren't physically ready or skilled enough to play with the big boys. This helps the raw players get better by having the minor league coaches deal with them instead of the nba head coach. There shouldn't be an age limit. Basketball is a young man's sport for the most part so 18 is okay for some of these kids like Amare or Lebron who are physically built already like an older player or guys like T-mac or Kevin Garnett that had all the traits of doing things very few players in the world their size can do. And part of the fun of the draft is draft winners and losers and weighing between rare and amazing potential vs. the safe pick. The concept that there should be an age limit is not racist, although it majorly affects predominantly African American highschoolers in this country and some international players. It's more about qualifications and being able to contribute the instant you get drafted to a team. The quality of play goes up when there's less raw rookies, who aren't ready and whose motives are simply to get that money to take care of business. In any sport, it hurts the game, especially a young man's game such as this. I think there needs to be a line drawn between playing for money out of necessity when they are not deserving the job because they're not ready (remember high schoolers/international ballers, they haven't faced serious professional competition) and guys who are ready and deserve that money (Lebron James/Amare Stoudamire). It should be about qualifications and there needs to be some, but for the most part I think it should be the team's decision to draft a young potential superstar (like how in soccer, teams were going nuts over Freddy Adu) and play them despite not being able to produce right away. If the team wants the rights to the player but they want to develop them in a smaller league, they should be able to stick them in a farm team and still hold on to their rights in addition to paying them the regular salary (and maybe smaller extensions and exemption from the salary cap if they need more time). Hopefully this would help players who will be good someday, pay for their stuff, help teams future, and make it so the quality of basketball doesn't go down because these kids can't shoot, play physical nba defense, pass, or handle the ball in the big leagues.
I honestly can't remember any high school player that's played poorly in the NBA. All I can remember right now are Malone, Garnett, Bryant, McGrady, James, Smith, Smith, Telfair, and Howard, and they're all atleast good players. Look how many great college players are average in the NBA: Bowie, Battier, Laettner, Araujo, and many others that I don't want to try and remember because this rule is void considering those high school players I mentioned.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Chungster:</div><div class="quote_post">I honestly can't remember any high school player that's played poorly in the NBA. All I can remember right now are Malone, Garnett, Bryant, McGrady, James, Smith, Smith, Telfair, and Howard, and they're all atleast good players. Look how many great college players are average in the NBA: Bowie, Battier, Laettner, Araujo, and many others that I don't want to try and remember because this rule is void considering those high school players I mentioned.</div> Wow, you have quite the memory there. Here's some more High School players who have declared - 1975 - Bill Willoughby 1996 - Taj McDavid 1998 - Korleone Young, Ellis Richardson 1999 - Leon Smith 2001 - Ousmane Cisse, Tony Key 2002 - DeAngelo Collins, Lenny Cooke 2003 - James Lang 2004 - Jackie Butler Any of those names ring a bell? If they don't, it's because they were all elite (or close to elite) players on the High School level who declared and were either drafted or had bad careers in the NBA. That list may not look like many players to you, but what you need to understand is that there's only been a handfull of players to come straight out of High School. As for great college players - Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Wilt Chamberlain, etc. And here's a list of some great college players over the last few years (starting in 1996) - 1996 - Allen Iverson, Steve Nash, Stephon Marbury, Ray Allen, Antoine Walker, Shareef Abdur-Rahim 1997 - Tim Duncan, Keith Van Horn (weak draft all-around) 1998 - Vince Carter, Paul Pierce, Antawn Jamison, Mike Bibby, Jason Williams 1999 - Steve Francis, Elton Brand, Shawn Marion, Baron Davis, Lamar Odom, Corey Maggette, Ron Artest, Rip Hamilton 2000 - Kenyon Martin, Michael Redd, Jamal Magloire, Desmond Mason, Quentin Richardson, Jamal Crawford 2001 - Gilbert Arenas, Jason Richardson, Zach Randolph, Richard Jefferson, Shane Battier, Joe Johnson 2002 - Carlos Boozer, Drew Gooden, Caron Butler (another weak draft) 2003 - Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Kirk Hinrich, TJ Ford, Jarvis Hayes, Josh Howard, Luke Ridnour 2004 - Emeka Okafor, Ben Gordon, Luol Deng, Andre Igoudala, Devin Harris
