Earlier this week, Adam Silver said that moving the NBA Draft from one night to two was a “no brainer.”
But as it turns out, the idea wasn’t his.
Rather, according to Front Office Sports, it was the league’s teams that made the suggestion, seeking more time to evaluate their second-round selections before making them. Silver, of course, works for the owners, so it’s hardly a surprise he would champion the idea. But while making the change necessitated buy-in from the NBA Players Association, not everyone has been a fan of the move.
The primary detractors, according to Front Office Sports, are the agents, who believe the change shifts leverage in the second round from the players to the teams. Whereas the fast-paced nature of the second round under the previous one-night format allowed agents to steer their clients to certain destinations, the day-long break between the two rounds now gives teams a better opportunity to assess the lay of the land.
“(Teams) get a lot of leverage now,” one agent told Front Office Sports.
It’s not a surprise that both the league’s teams and agents would feel the way they do. For teams, there’s an obvious advantage in getting a day-long break between rounds to both potentially make trades and assess the outlook of the second round. For agents, those very advantages run counter to their own interests of using the previous chaos of the second round to direct their clients to their preferred teams (and perhaps more importantly, contract offers).
From a TV perspective, however, the move appears to be — in Silver’s words — a no-brainer.
Whereas the draft’s one-night format created a marathon of cramming 60 picks into one night, the shift to two nights provides an opportunity for not only the league’s teams, but also its fans to catch their breath. And considering the sizable drop off in interest between the two rounds, it makes sense to give the second round a new coat of paint with its own spotlight.
Of course, this year’s second round will likely be the exception to the rule, as it possesses the draft’s most famous prospect in Bronny James. Nevertheless, the two-night NBA Draft appears to be here to stay — whether the league’s agents like it or not.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.