The draft and tanking
Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2026 9:55 pm
I've listened to a few pods discussing these topics and I have been thinking about the idea about eliminating the draft altogether and making players free agents. I have always loved the draft and would hate to see it go but I was thinking there might be a middle ground.
What if the draft was in 7 year cycles in which each team gets 7 first round salary exceptions and 7 second round exceptions? Based on this year's salary slots each team would be given the following salary exceptions:
11.5M, 8.3M, 5.7M, 4.5M, 3.7M, 3M, 2.6M as first round salary slots based on the salaries for the 1st, 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, 20th, and 24th picks this year. They could go up or down based on the salary cap but the important part is each team has the same amount. Then they get 7, 2.3M second round slots or some other number.
Teams could use these slots during any draft year in the 7 year cycle to negotiate with draftees. They could offer up their 11.5 slot to someone like AJ Dybantsa and he could choose the team he prefers. So if he chose the Jazz, for instance, they would not have the 11.5M slot to use until the next 7 year cycle. In a year where Zaccarie Risascher is the best player, maybe teams will save their high dollar slot for another year with higher end talent. This year, for example might have 3-5 guys that teams would be willing to pay their best slot for. Salary slots could not be combined. If you know the next Wemby is coming in 4 years, maybe you hold onto that top slot for that.
These slots could be traded like current draft picks are but you could not trade into the next 7 year cycle until the 6th draft in the current cycle had passed.
One key feature is that all 14 original slots you get, per cycle, are salary cap exempt for the life of that rookie deal. So when the Jazz get Dybantsa, he won't count against their cap until his rookie contract is done. For a team that's far into the apron or needing to avoid it they could use an extra draft slot or 2 that year to help mitigate that.
Any slot that you trade for will not be salary cap exempt, however.
What about all currently traded picks, you ask? I imagine a system in which all of those picks will be awarded a salary slot nearest to where that team would pick that year, until they have all been extinguished. So lets say the Wolves finish with the 10th best record in 2030, the pick owed to San Antonio would become a 3M (20th pick) slot for them to use in the remaining years of that cycle. All traded second round picks would be the 2.3M slot.
I would also move draft night to mid to late July, to let most free agents sign and give rookies a better idea of which situation they want to go to.
I'm not sure how draft night would work but maybe it would resemble national signing day where players have a table of hats and announce their choice.
What if the draft was in 7 year cycles in which each team gets 7 first round salary exceptions and 7 second round exceptions? Based on this year's salary slots each team would be given the following salary exceptions:
11.5M, 8.3M, 5.7M, 4.5M, 3.7M, 3M, 2.6M as first round salary slots based on the salaries for the 1st, 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, 20th, and 24th picks this year. They could go up or down based on the salary cap but the important part is each team has the same amount. Then they get 7, 2.3M second round slots or some other number.
Teams could use these slots during any draft year in the 7 year cycle to negotiate with draftees. They could offer up their 11.5 slot to someone like AJ Dybantsa and he could choose the team he prefers. So if he chose the Jazz, for instance, they would not have the 11.5M slot to use until the next 7 year cycle. In a year where Zaccarie Risascher is the best player, maybe teams will save their high dollar slot for another year with higher end talent. This year, for example might have 3-5 guys that teams would be willing to pay their best slot for. Salary slots could not be combined. If you know the next Wemby is coming in 4 years, maybe you hold onto that top slot for that.
These slots could be traded like current draft picks are but you could not trade into the next 7 year cycle until the 6th draft in the current cycle had passed.
One key feature is that all 14 original slots you get, per cycle, are salary cap exempt for the life of that rookie deal. So when the Jazz get Dybantsa, he won't count against their cap until his rookie contract is done. For a team that's far into the apron or needing to avoid it they could use an extra draft slot or 2 that year to help mitigate that.
Any slot that you trade for will not be salary cap exempt, however.
What about all currently traded picks, you ask? I imagine a system in which all of those picks will be awarded a salary slot nearest to where that team would pick that year, until they have all been extinguished. So lets say the Wolves finish with the 10th best record in 2030, the pick owed to San Antonio would become a 3M (20th pick) slot for them to use in the remaining years of that cycle. All traded second round picks would be the 2.3M slot.
I would also move draft night to mid to late July, to let most free agents sign and give rookies a better idea of which situation they want to go to.
I'm not sure how draft night would work but maybe it would resemble national signing day where players have a table of hats and announce their choice.