I wish I could say this was my idea but the someone at ESPN said something i found extremely interesting that could relate to all sports but right now let focus on the NBA. What if your conference was a tradable asset? Could teams swap conferences in exchange for draft picks, players, or straight up for swapping conferences?
Let’s not think about the silly stuff like well what about travel and rivalries, who cares this could be lots of fun. Look at the NBA this year besides the Heat the next top 10 teams are probably playing in the West. Meaning a very good team did not make the playoffs but the Bobcats and Hawks did, solely because of their conference. An easy solution is get rid of conference make it one league everyone plays everyone. That is not fun though, so what would a team like the Minnesota of given up to play in the East this year? They are a semi good team but could they have been a at least 5 seed in the East.
It can go the other way too, right now the West is dominate over the East when looking at all teams, but the East will have some very good team that are young up and coming soon. Philly will be god in a few years, Washington making noise, the Bulls might get Melo. Would a team like Atlanta who are stuck in no mans land want to move to the West to go into full rebuilding mode and hope the West gets old (Spurs, Mavs, Memphis) or some stars move East (hint hint Durant). The Hawks would get wrecked in the West but gain huge early First round picks and hope the power swings East when they are reloaded to beat the West.
Does a team like the Mavs sacrifice something to get one more run with Dirk but in the easier East next year? The Mavs and Hawks are a good match for these:
Mavs trade a 2014 second round pick and Jae Crowder to ATL for East membership. No idea if that trade would make sense for either team but would it be worth it for Dallas to get a 2/3 seed next year in the East and see what happens, then rebuild in the East. The Mavs would be more attractive for older free agents looking for one more ring.
Ideas like this is what is missing from the NBA, it is too long and there are often years where one conference is dominate. This opens the door for so many scenarios that other affects every team every year.
I think is awesome and needs to happen ASAP.
Quick note that this could work in all sports maybe, how badly do the Tampa Bay Rays want to move out of the AL East? What are they willing to give up to make it happen? I don’t know but would love to see.
Deuces