• No prospect would be required to declare, making everyone eligible,
much like baseball's amateur draft. Prospective picks would be asked to
sign a "memorandum of understanding" as a condition for consideration,
whereby they would agree to forgo college if drafted. If they declined
to sign, they would effectively be choosing college over pro ball and
couldn't be drafted for two more years. If they declare but never get
drafted, they should be allowed to retain their eligibility and attend
school. Currently, they aren't. The crucial point here: Players
shouldn't be penalized for an ill-informed decision. Draftees should be
given the option of signing in the NBA, going to the minors, or playing
overseas.
• All early-entry players would be given the same declaration date.
Right now, foreign prospects get almost two months more than their
American counterparts to decide whether to remain in that year's draft.2 By locking everyone into the same date, the NBA would rectify one of the great competitive inequities of pro hoops.
• All first-round picks would be paid NBA rookie scale regardless of
whether they played on the parent or farm team. To encourage a franchise
to sign a first-rounder and farm him out for more seasoning, the team
should get a year of cap relief. That would prevent any team from doing what the Thunder did to Josh Huestis, who was drafted at no. 29 overall only after he agreed to spend his rookie year in the D-League (and be paid accordingly).
• Today's second-round draftees have no salary protection. Teams can
decide against signing them and still retain their rights. An NBA team
is required only to offer a minimum non-guaranteed contract; that's it.
Under my plan, teams would be required to offer second-rounders a
guaranteed minimum split3 contract ($253,500) or
forfeit their rights. Teams could still negotiate multiyear contracts
with players; they'd also have the right to send those prospects to the
minors without their salaries counting against the cap for two years.
This would encourage NBA franchises to draft the best available players
in Round 2 and develop them. For free agents or players who
have been released, the minimum D-League salary would be raised to a
more livable $50,000, a figure more commensurate with their relative
contributions
An agent who wants to lower the age limit
much like baseball's amateur draft. Prospective picks would be asked to
sign a "memorandum of understanding" as a condition for consideration,
whereby they would agree to forgo college if drafted. If they declined
to sign, they would effectively be choosing college over pro ball and
couldn't be drafted for two more years. If they declare but never get
drafted, they should be allowed to retain their eligibility and attend
school. Currently, they aren't. The crucial point here: Players
shouldn't be penalized for an ill-informed decision. Draftees should be
given the option of signing in the NBA, going to the minors, or playing
overseas.
• All early-entry players would be given the same declaration date.
Right now, foreign prospects get almost two months more than their
American counterparts to decide whether to remain in that year's draft.2 By locking everyone into the same date, the NBA would rectify one of the great competitive inequities of pro hoops.
• All first-round picks would be paid NBA rookie scale regardless of
whether they played on the parent or farm team. To encourage a franchise
to sign a first-rounder and farm him out for more seasoning, the team
should get a year of cap relief. That would prevent any team from doing what the Thunder did to Josh Huestis, who was drafted at no. 29 overall only after he agreed to spend his rookie year in the D-League (and be paid accordingly).
• Today's second-round draftees have no salary protection. Teams can
decide against signing them and still retain their rights. An NBA team
is required only to offer a minimum non-guaranteed contract; that's it.
Under my plan, teams would be required to offer second-rounders a
guaranteed minimum split3 contract ($253,500) or
forfeit their rights. Teams could still negotiate multiyear contracts
with players; they'd also have the right to send those prospects to the
minors without their salaries counting against the cap for two years.
This would encourage NBA franchises to draft the best available players
in Round 2 and develop them. For free agents or players who
have been released, the minimum D-League salary would be raised to a
more livable $50,000, a figure more commensurate with their relative
contributions
An agent who wants to lower the age limit
