The home of the Eastern Conference leading Atlanta Hawks was once known as “The Highlight Factory”, but these days any number of teams could rightfully hold that popular moniker. Move over Larry Wilmore— the NBA is a nightly show with eye popping must-Vine performances that literally stay on loop. Sadly, a looming lockout could ruin it all.
Now we at HHSR can’t fix every issue between labor and ownership (yet) but we have found answer to one key topic in dispute: the NBA Draft age limit.
In 2006 the NBA created what became known as the “One and Done” rule, which dictated that one must be at least 19 years old and one year removed from their high school graduation to be eligible to be drafted. The NBA wanted to raise the age limit to 20 or 21 but gave into the National Basketball Players Association’s objections after the NBPA took everything but the kitchen sink in the negotiations following the 16 game lockout of 2011.
Fortunately, we have found a compromise that should appease everyone including the owners, players, the NCAA and most importantly the fans (we do it for the people at HHSR).
First a quick recap on the last lockout, which for the record means ownership stopped “production”, not the players union. The new labor agreement saw ownership obtain key victories at the negotiating table resulting in a smaller share of the basketball related revenue for players causing shorter contracts with lower maximum values. This increased the value of an NBA franchise dramatically. For example, the Clippers just sold for around $2 billion and the aforementioned Atlanta Hawks — who are currently up for sale — are valued at $825M and will more than likely fetch close to a billion dollars when it’s all said and done.
We propose a “Three or None” regulation wherein a player’s draft eligibility will come either upon graduation from high school (but not before four academic years of high school have been completed) OR three years after graduation from high school. Players are eligible to enter the NBA D-League draft, go the international route or enter any other leagues per normal.
The only caveat to this rule would be the creation of a selection committee of coaches, scouts and GM’s that would hold an invite only “combine” where the elite high school basketball players could be evaluated and deemed pro ready and draft eligible based on a cumulative grade from each member. The player would have to declare and would thereby forfeit their remaining college eligibility regardless of actual draft results.
As widely entertaining and profitable it would be to watch a high school phenom’s official NBA job interview, this event would not be televised. As amateurs entering the “combine”, airing this event for general public would have to breach a morality code of some sort. Nevertheless, the tryout gives the small number of potentially NBA-ready prep stars a platform to showcase their ability to earn a living, while maintaining their collegiate eligibility.
Here’s how this “soft cap” on the age limit will help everyone:
NBA
Adopting the three or none rule would give the NBA a continual influx of potential superstars (read: highly marketable) players on low cost rookie contracts that keep the leverage in ownerships hands for the first five to six years of the player’s career. Furthermore, this rule serves as a “give back” to the union who is adamant about not increasing the age limit for draft eligible players that could smooth the negotiations in other areas. The NBA ownership consortium should do whatever they can to avoid losing any momentum going into the newly agreed upon television deal that is worth a reported $2.66 billion annually and goes into effect in 2016. The Three or None Rule helps keep the money train rolling along.
NBA Players Association
The NBA Players Association, aka the union, has hired a new director after taking a shellacking at the last negotiations with the NBA. Former president Billy Hunter was ousted amid controversy during the 2013 All-Star weekend and Michele Roberts was named president in July 2014. Roberts — an acclaimed trial lawyer and first woman to lead an American professional sports union — has made it clear she is ready to lock horns with commissioner Adam Silver in the coming collective bargaining agreement negotiations.
The influx of money into the league and its effect on the salary cap will take top priority in the discussions, but the age limit will likely be a close second. Roberts has come out vehemently against raising the age limit saying it limits a player’s ability to earn a living at their chosen craft— The Three or None Rule will return the choice to the players which is exactly what the union president wants. It’s not a perfect solution for the NBPA but it would allow them to focus energies on the issues that affect more of the actual membership body.
NCAA
Unless John Calipari is the coach, no college program or fan base can be happy with the ripples of the one and done rule, but even Calipari has come out against the current structure that has made him the king of Wildcat country. Calipari proposed a two and done rule with the NBA prorating rookie deals based on length of stay in the college ranks, but you’d have to believe that would be a nonstarter for the NBPA. Incorporation of The Three or None Rule would allow for real development of players, teams and coaches. What would be Kentucky’s loss would be the NCAA’s gain as talent would spread further across the country. Teams would be better for longer with more continuity; more good teams means more money.
The NBA and NBPA could heavily suggest the creation of mandatory three year scholarships to the NCAA as part of helping them maintain their free labor pool. While the one and done players represent an exceptionally small portion of the college basketball population, The Three or None ruling would be a huge help to players who actually need to earn their education to create a better life for themselves. We at HHSR don’t want to erode the value of an education— this would be a great way to create fairness for professional basketball players while maintaining the value provided by college hoops, not to mention help keep the “pay the players” crowd at bay.
The Fans
We saved the most important people for last: the fans. We’re fans here at HHSR and that’s who we look out for the most. The Three or None Rule helps improve the product for all basketball fans, be they NBA fans, NCAA fans or that rare fan of both.
This rule won’t lower tickets, stop players and owners from complaining about not having enough money or make referees better at calling fouls equally, but it will give fans hope. The Three or None will put more highly touted players on more franchises in the pros while helping college teams create more of a rapport with their fans as they can feel free to become connected to the names on both sides of the jersey. As a sports fan, there are few things better than watching a young promising player develop into a great one. This rule can help bridge the gap between the NBA and NBPA and serve as a key step towards a fruitful CBA negotiation that does not result in any missed games, which hurts the fans the most.
Let us know what you think about this proposal and when you hear about a flexible ruling on the age limit, remember where you heard it first.