Will someone explain the lottery pingpongs?

[Blunt91]

Do they just do the pingpong drawing for for the 1st 3picks? How is it that we didn't move up or down with out pick last year. We had the 8thworst record in the league and we ended up with the 8th pick which you know went to the Clippers. Futhermore, How is it that the Hornets were able to jump from having the 13th worst record in 1999 and barely missing the playoffs to ending up with the 3rd pick in the draft which they used to get Baron Davis.

[phoostal]

The lottery is for the first three picks. If you don't get lucky enough to get in the first three, then you will get the spot you finished at during the regular season. You won't drop or get a higher selection selection.

For example, if the Hawks finished with the 8th worst record. They are slated to pick 8th, if they are fortunate in the lottery they may get to pick 1, 2 or 3. If they don't they will stay at the 8th spot.

Hopefully this helps you out in the explanation of the lottery.

[dj_me]

See, I thought that the ping-pong process was more than that. I thought they actually went through the entire list of thirteen, the first one drawn being the first pick, the second team ball equalled the second pick, etc. That's what it should be. They should do the hole ping-pong draw like a normal lottery you see on TV. I would much rather see it like this.

[Diesel]

D. Stern looks over the 13 teams in the lottery. Then he says...

1. How can I [censored] Chicago.

Then he says.....

2. How can I [censored] all the teams with College Coaches.

Then he says.....

I have to help out my friends..

NJ

Then he says.....

Well, I made a deal with Jordan that I'd give him a first if he came back.....

Then the accounting firm at blah blah blah puts it all together and says... The best way to do all those things are:

Then they create a draft order.

Then they run the pingpong machine for Stern's amusement.

What they should do is give the worst team so many pingpongs... Give everyone a number of pingpongs that is relative to their record.

Then they roll the pingpong ball machine on television with everyone's pingpong. The first Ping Pong selected gets the #1 pick in the draft. Then they take out those pingpongs and go again. The next pingpong selected gets the second pick in the draft. And SO on. That way, the process becomes real.

[jeddelong]

As an add-on to the previous posts, the first three picks are selected by the ping-pong ball drawing; however, in conflict with what was said above, you are not gauranteed the 8th pick if you have the 8th worst record. This is only the case if the lottery stays true to form below you. Ex: When the hawks moved up to third two years ago, they pushed teams that should have picked at 4 -7 down one. So, as you can see, you are not gauranteed your spot of finish if someone below you moves up to the top three. Win-loss is only used to seed draft order after the drawing.

[Gray Mule]

If a team has a terrible record, then they deserve the

chance at the top players available. There are usually

three or four players who are exceptional and who are

so desireable for these teams.

Why do these other teams get to compete for the top

players? If the want to hold a lottery on the picks, let

the four teams with the worst records hold a drawing for

picks one thru four, then the next four teams hold a

lottery for picks five thru eight. Heck, if we're going

to do that, let the next group of four do the same - then

the next four until everyone has picked. Then, draft in the

same order in round two.

Do this live on T.V. Probably be as exciting as many of the

games we see. N.B.A. has a 24 second shot clock. Give

the teams more time than that. After the drawing for slots,

give them five minutes to think about it, then five minutes

each to draft -- If you don't call out your choice you loose

your position and go to the back of the line {You have a

turnover. We know what that is! }

Don't want the pick? Sell it to the highest bidder for cash!

Don't want the 49th pick? We'll give you fifty bucks for it,

no questions asked, right now! Sold!!

Later you demand your fifty thousand you thought was bid,

only to have instant replay prove it was only fifty bucks.

[chillzatl]

http://www.nba.com/news/lottery02_evolution.html

[Guest]

1000 ping pong balls, each with a single number on it, are placed in a hopper. Each team is awarded X number of combinations based upon their record. The balls are then withdrawn, one at a time, and then replaced into the barrell, creating the first through third "winning" combinations (voided if a combination comes up that belongs to a team that's already won a lotto spot). After the first three spots, teh ranksings based on records are done up...

last year, due to criticism, several reporters from major newspapers were in attendance for the lotto drawing due to criticism of the possible "fixing." I believe they announced that it was going to be televised this year due to the LeBron issue...but you have to realize that watching the combinations come up is not exactly exciting, esp. since each combination is several numbers long (four I believe).

[chillzatl]