The NBA's GM Survey Results Are In So What Did We Learn?
We finally have the results from the GM Survey that was sent out a few days ago as the league tries to determine what a potential return will look like. I have to say some of these are pretty surprising. Here's what stood out to me.
1. 53 percent voted to maintain traditional playoff seeding; 47 percent for reseeding
Doesn't sound like GMs are all that crazy about all the unique ideas we've seen floated around whether it's a 1-16 format where conferences are eliminated or a World Cup Group style group stage. What's interesting is 53% of the league is 16 teams. I'd love to know who made up that 53% because my brain tends to think that the current 16 playoff teams just wanted things to stay the way they always have been.
2. 53% of GMs chose advancing directly to playoffs; 27% for resuming abbreviated season with play-in
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This one also surprised me that there were so many GMs willing to just jump right into the playoffs. I don't care about the play in part, but I think it'd be silly to just ramp right back up with the playoffs after a 3 month break. They need a handful of warm up games in my opinion. Now maybe this is meant to also include some exhibition games, but if you're going to do that you might as well have some games that matter, like the 72 game season idea. That's like 6 games for everyone, works for me.
3. Non-playoff teams split on resuming season
Non playoff teams currently consist of WSH/CHA/CHI/NYK/DET/ATL/CLE/POR/NO/SAC/SA/PHX/MIN/GS. We know for sure POR/NO/SAC/SA would want to keep playing since they are technically still alive. So who are the other three? I would have guessed everybody else but that group out West would have been cool with just calling it a season.
For me, the biggest takeaway here is the normal seeding and an attempt to keep things as close to normal as possible. I think part of the reason why GMs might want that is the entire Lottery situation. Nobody is really talking about what happens to the Lottery if there's a World Cup Stage or a play in tournament or any of those other wacky ideas. I also got a little lost with how 53% want to go right into the playoffs but 60% voted on a 72 game season. Not a huge math/statistics guy by any means, but that's a little confusing no? Probably should have paid more attention in math class instead of just loading all the test answers in my TI-89. What a classic move that was by the way. Shout out TI-89, a true legend in the snake it to you make it game.
From what I've read a formal decision on what the league is going to do isn't coming until like next week, and just because the GMs might want it a certain way doesn't mean the league has to listen. Remember they need to make as much money back as possible plus find a way to get Zion in the mix so I'd be shocked if they simply kept things normal. To be honest I don't give a fuck what they do, just give me basketball back in two months. Keep it the same, do a World Cup group stage, makes no difference to me as long as we have it back in our lives at some point in the near future.