Best suggestion I've seen. Figure out what you want emphasized in the game, set measurable benchmarks to drive towards those goals, have the players all select their favorite charities, and reward those charities based on the players'/teams' abilities to hit those benchmarks. You want a more "real" game? Reward blocks and steals, and penalize allowing open shots and dunks--but reward players who can get them. Reward crisp passes, backdoor cuts, offensive rebounds and strong box-outs. Penalize players who don't get across half court on defense within the first 5 seconds of a defensive possession without pressuring the ball. Reward taking charges (but penalize flopping). Reward solid screens, and players who fight through/over them. Then, appoint an independent panel of coaches--old crotchety "old-school" guys who want to see the game played "the right way"--to watch the game and tally up points earned by each player and award contributions to their charities based on their play during the game. Maybe even have a live point board on display in the arena and on the broadcast so the panel's assessment of the players' efforts (or lack thereof) is visible to all.
Make me Commissioner for a day and this is what I'd propose to provide more excitement and fan interest in the All-Star festivities. First, too many good players are being left out because of limitations in the number of roster spots. At present, each squad has 13 players. With good teams generally ending up with multiple players on the AS team, that leaves too little interest for the fans of most teams. I'd propose making All-Star Weekend into a four-team mini-tournament. On Saturday, the Eastern and Western All-Stars would each be divided into two teams of 8 players each. They'd play an abbreviated game of, say, 8 minute quarters, with the winners advancing to the All-Star finals game on Sunday. To avoid the best players potentially being left out of that game and to make the rosters fuller, the coach of the East and West teams would pick 4 players off of the first day losing team. To make the Sunday game more interesting, I'd award the winning rosters significantly more money than the losing team gets.
That's a good way to ensure no one actually participates. The fundamental problem is that it's an exhibition game in the middle of a long season--no one wants to get injured or add more wear and tear for a game that's just supposed to be for fun. Would you be thrilled if Lillard suffered a season-ending injury at the All Star game in a season where the Blazers were contenders? And even if you were okay with that, how do you think Lillard or the Blazers organization would feel about that? If that injury happens during an actual, for-real game, then it's just the breaks of the game. No one's going to risk it in an exhibition game, no matter what stakes are on it. Make the stakes their actual pay and they just won't play. And for good reason.
Yeah, I just counted heads on this year's squads. I forgot there were a couple of replacements for injured players.
They should just make it 20 minutes long and pick the best dunk....it's a dunk contest...eliminate the other brick fest dunk contest completely
Have the starters play the first quarter. The second quarter is reserved for second team players, The third quarter unknowns and bench experts play. The last quarter should be combinations of starters and second team players are used with the last 7 minutes. This way we finally get to see Dame and CJ and the rest of the country will realize how good they really are. Can't get into Silver. He reminds me of a chiropractor in LA
It's literally the dumbest thing to do. It was a fucking joke for the all star game in baseball... no one gave a shit when it was there. If its done, its the stupidest thing the NBA could do.
Why not just go with a 6 player team for each division? Shorter games of 4-on-4. Round Robin going through Friday morning, Saturday morning, and Sunday. Semifinals and finals on Sunday. Give every winning player $1,000,000.
whatever the powers that be decide they better be careful. For the faults it has, the NBA all-star break is the one league that actually has a bit of relevancy attached to the festivities. However the longer they wait to change the dunk contest, and all star game/rookie game, the less relevant those "contests" become. As personally I've watched high school dunk contests that were more entertaining, and more logical on who the winner of said contest is.
I think each player playing to represent the charity of their choice, and the winners having donations made in their names, would be simple and somewhat effective. Unless they all pick the same charity.
Ok, I think I actually have an entertaining idea about this. Each team has 3 representatives and plays a 3 on 3 tourney single elimination to 11 or 21 or whatever. Bracket it somehow, and winning team gets something substatial.
I'm curious if the players would consider this an incentive. Organizations/fans/media sure. But I'm not sure current NBA players, let alone the top 30(or so) would consider the draft lotto incentives a positive thing. Only have to look as far as Portland's Star guard and how he feels every time one of his friends leaves the team. Interesting idea though.
