A drastic change to be discussed during All-Star break

[Apollo]

Labor problems, the potential for blockbuster trades, and yes, some basketball will be on the agenda at All-Star weekend in Dallas. Something else will command the attention of NBA team executives on Friday: The idea of a play-in tournament to determine the eighth playoff seed in each conference.

The concept, devised by Nuggets general manager Mark Warkentien, is on the agenda for the league's competition committee, CBSSports.com has learned. The committee, which will meet Friday, has the option of voting on whether to recommend that the Board of Governors adopt the plan -- or some other version of it.

These are the basics: The top seven teams in each conference will be seeded accordingly. The eighth seed would be determined in a single-elimination play-in tournament involving the teams that finish 8-15. The benefits? First and foremost, money. By keeping playoff hope alive for lottery-bound teams, their owners could hold out hope of achieving a coveted home playoff date or two. In theory, it would also discourage tanking, though admittedly not in all cases.

The competition committee has the ability to recommend rules changes that could take effect any time. But a drastic change such as this most likely would be considered for next season, not this one.

CBS Sports

I personally like the idea. It creates excitement and gives the basement dwellers something to play for. Some of those owners will think twice about tanking when there are big time playoff revenues on the line. It means a lot in the current economic times.

[verbatim]

How would you reward the teams that scrap and fight and claw for an eighth seed, make it, then might lose to a team that has been coasting? There is no incentive to fight for that eight seed. This is a problem - are you telling me the Nets deserve a shot at the playoffs?

[OzRapFan]

How would you reward the teams that scrap and fight and claw for an eighth seed, make it, then might lose to a team that has been coasting? There is no incentive to fight for that eight seed. This is a problem - are you telling me the Nets deserve a shot at the playoffs?

If they want an 8th seed they should win some games and get it. Can you imagine all those teams without a shot at 7 resting all their stars at the end of the season. It's all about the revenue.

[d.C]

Interesting. I like the idea, mainly because "it would discourage tanking".

[TheR3dMenace]

How would you reward the teams that scrap and fight and claw for an eighth seed, make it, then might lose to a team that has been coasting? There is no incentive to fight for that eight seed. This is a problem - are you telling me the Nets deserve a shot at the playoffs?

The 7th seed would just become the spot teams scrap and fight to get.

I like this idea personally and I hope it gets some traction.

[Brain Colangelo]

It's a scheduling nightmare. You'd wait a week for the 8 teams to settle their series. It could work if it's 4 teams, not 8.

[jamesk]

That is re-tarded. why bother competing if it becomes obvious it would be difficult, and take effort, to get a 7 or up seed? Fans don't see enough lax stars on mediocre teams mailing in performance after partying all night and not giving a shit? How'd you like to coach one of these teams, 'hey guys we gotta win this game', player, ' come on coach we'll win the play-in, relax'...What is the point of the regular season anyway? Instead of a few teams tanking, it'll be four or five in each conference, not to mention the amount of time given to any star with injury concerns heading into this tournament, a great way to srew your fans out of seeing there favourite players the one night of the year they can afford a game, needing to rest them for a play in. It's not even a play off, because it's the opposite of the principal it represents. This makes me just as, if not much more angry than the ncaa play-in, so angry.

[jamesk]

If we're all against tanking, why not forget this play-in scam, cuz that's what it is, and have the draft order completely random? Why should well managed teams never have their own young star. In fact, I'm pretty sure the draft is illegal, it sure could be challenged. Anyways, automated draft lottery, no incentive for tanking.

[deejay]

If we're all against tanking, why not forget this play-in scam, cuz that's what it is, and have the draft order completely random?

Exactly! The draft makes sense when you have no salary cap, but when every team has the same amount of money to spend, they have the same chance to build a quality team, it creates too much an incentive to completely tank a season. It should be totally random.

[Hotshot]

I am against it.

Bad teams will just be resting their best players instead of playing spoilers during good teams playoff hunt/position in order to compete in this "the losers competition". Losers shouldn't be rewarded.

Watching teams fighting for the last 8th and final spot is entertaining by itself.

Greedy fat cats are going to ruin the game.

[Gurk]

I don't like this at all. Teams that fought there way to get the 8 now have a chance of losing their efforts in one game. No thanks

[Apollo]

How would you reward the teams that scrap and fight and claw for an eighth seed, make it, then might lose to a team that has been coasting? There is no incentive to fight for that eight seed. This is a problem - are you telling me the Nets deserve a shot at the playoffs?

I don't like this at all. Teams that fought there way to get the 8 now have a chance of losing their efforts in one game. No thanks

You're looking at it wrong. Forget about the eighth seed as it is now, pretend that they're removing one spot and making it a wild card similar to baseball or football, only there will be more games to decide who makes the real show. If a team wants to secure a spot the old fashioned way they're need to scrap and fight and claw for seventh seed. Team looking in from the outside will be playing for 7th seed, with an outside hope of the wild card. If the Nets won this mini tournament then yes, they would have more right than the team with the better record. If they can't beat the Nets to make the playoffs then they have no business in the playoffs to begin with.

It creates extra revenue for all teams involved and the better you play, the more money you make. Owners are going to like this. I can see this or something like it happening. Teams struggling to pay the bills will like this idea. I think out west, where you have so many good teams who will miss the playoffs as is right now, they're going to love this idea.

It's a scheduling nightmare. You'd wait a week for the 8 teams to settle their series. It could work if it's 4 teams, not 8.

I disagree. We're talking four games a side, then two, then one. The winner needs to play three extra games to win the seed, big deal.

[Deanialist]

I am totally against this!!!

Why don't we just have shootouts to determin who wins games then!!

& add ties & points to wins & overtimes!!

Thats a Dumb A** Idea!!

[Apollo]

LOL now you're just being ridiculous.