NBA Conspiracy

[love_that_reefer]

Maybe its just the pothead conspiracy theorists in me but I am not buying the Cavs winning the #1 pick in the draft. I do think this was fixed and David Stern is behind this. The Cavs will have the #1 and #4 picks in the draft. I know this year's draft isn't as exciting as years past but I was expecting two top 10 picks for the Cavs, none being the #1.

[DirtyKash]

[Slyder]

I think you would have a better leg to stand on with the conspiracy theory I heard today. The Bulls are going to win because Obama wants to use them as part of his 2012 campaign.

Plus its not like there is a local boy in the discussion for #1. Plus why would Stern care about Cleveland? He's more worried about making things right by LA, Boston, Miami, Chicago, and the stars than 80% of the rest of the league.

[Hammer]

the best part is... it was the clippers pick that won the number 1 pick, so it allowed the cavs to be guaranteed two picks in the top 5. CONTINUE YOUR CONSPIRACY REEF !

[Kingdom]

Awesome. This will cut down on the suicide rates in Cleveland by a little.

[realmofotalk]

Bill Simmons:

BTW the Clips were absolute morons for not top-3 protecting the #1 in the Baron trade. They deserve to see this go #1. Just bad management.

That is pathetic but not surprising given who owns the Clippers. But oh, think of how much money they just saved from trading Baron and punting the #1 pick!

[Kingdom]

Remind me why he still owns a team? And Stern hasn't buried him in some body of water by now?

[realmofotalk]

Sadly, Sterling is too rich for anybody to buy him out.

[realmofotalk]

I now realize it makes sense why the Clippers forfeited protection of their 2011 pick. The short answer is that the 2011 draft class plain stinks. The longer answer is that had the Clippers kept the 2011 pick, they would then owe two 2012 picks: one to Cleveland and one to Boston (from OKC via the Clippers via Eric Bledsoe trade), which means having to give up Minnesota's pick to Cleveland. All this for a 2.8% chance of the 2011 pick going #1 overall. Of course, this doesn't excuse the Clippers from the fact that they punted a lottery pick just to get rid of Baron Davis.

[Hammer]

completely forgot the clippers had a pick from minnesota... go marko jaric. the pick to the c's is protected through the top 10, so yea, i suppose it is somewhat logical. it also would have been logical to just protect the baron pick, through top 3 for both seasons. if its 4th, and the bledsoe pick is 11th... you end up only with wherever minnesotas pick is, and all debts are paid. if the bledsoe pick is 10th, the baron pick is 3rd and the minnesota pick is wherever in the lottery... you strike it rich in the 12 draft [and simultaneously murder 2013... but for an organization like that, whos looking that far ahead anyway?]. going that deep into it mightve been just too mindblowing for the clippers front office.

that said... cleveland probably told them they wouldnt have taken on baron without that 2.8% shot. so yea.

[cjkalt]

completely forgot the clippers had a pick from minnesota... go marko jaric. the pick to the c's is protected through the top 10, so yea, i suppose it is somewhat logical. it also would have been logical to just protect the baron pick, through top 3 for both seasons. if its 4th, and the bledsoe pick is 11th... you end up only with wherever minnesotas pick is, and all debts are paid. if the bledsoe pick is 10th, the baron pick is 3rd and the minnesota pick is wherever in the lottery... you strike it rich in the 12 draft [and simultaneously murder 2013... but for an organization like that, whos looking that far ahead anyway?]. going that deep into it mightve been just too mindblowing for the clippers front office.

that said... cleveland probably told them they wouldnt have taken on baron without that 2.8% shot. so yea.

Actually the protection on the pick ends up being lowered over time... according to NBAdraft.net: Celtics receive the Clippers' 2012 first-round pick, via Thunder (Eric Bledsoe trade) (top 10 protected in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015, unprotected in 2016. In 2012, the Celtics would receive the lesser of the Clippers first-round pick or the T'Wolves' first-round pick (Marko Jaric trade)) (Jeff Green trade 02-24-11)

Since its the Clippers I like our shot getting a top 3 pick in 2016

[Fitzy]

Regardless if there is a conspiracy or not I know Daniel Stern and the NBA executives are dancing on their money right about now. Now only does Cleveland get two of the top 5 picks in the draft to ultimately improve there team, but the way the NBA Championships have unfolded it couldn't have been much better than the outcome that is happening right now. Miami and the Big Three versus the guy who hasn't yet held the trophy. The audience has to be huge and the games the way they have been ending have been extremely exciting. Conspiracy or not the NBA is one happy league.