Relegating and promoting to and from the D-League is implausible given the NBA's makeup, which will never change drastically enough to support such a plan. There is a way that intraleague relegation could work, however:

At the end of the season, put the top 15 teams in the First Division and the rest in the Second Division. Divide each division into West, Central, and East. If we used today's standings, here's what we would have:

1West: Golden State, Los Angeles C, Los Angeles L, Phoenix, Portland
1Central: Dallas, Denver, Houston, Oklahoma City, San Antonio
1East: Atlanta, Indiana, Miami, Minnesota, Washington

2East: Boston, Brooklyn, New York, Philadelphia, Toronto
2Central: Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Orlando
2West: Memphis, Milwaukee, New Orleans, Sacramento, Utah

Make a schedule sort of similar to what we have now. For example, have the 1West teams play each other 4 times (16 games), all other First Division teams 3 times (30 games), all 2West teams 4 times (16 games), and all other Second Division teams twice (20 games) (total of 82 games). You play 46 games vs. your Division and 36 games against the opposite Division.

The worst 1West, 1Central, and 1East team, plus the wild card with the worst record, will be relegated to the Second Division next season. All other First Division teams will be in the playoffs. The best 2West, 2Central, and 2East team, plus the best wild card, will be promoted to the First Division next season and will be in this season's playoffs. Seed the playoffs according to regular season record, regardless of Division.

This post was edited on 12/23/13 at 5:50 pm

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Posted by SAINT06

Member since Jan 2007

224 posts

Posted on 12/23/13 at 9:20 pm to ballscaster

Did you just come up with that on the fly? If so very impressive. I like the idea. Would make a lot more games interesting in February and March.

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Posted by ballscaster

Member since Jun 2013

26861 posts

Posted on 12/23/13 at 9:24 pm to SAINT06

I've shared it with a couple of people verbally, but it's too long and confusing if it isn't written down.

But yes, you're right. There are inevitably more marquee matchups. Right now we only get to see Miami and Indiana play the really good western teams twice this year; under this schedule, they'll all play each other at least three times. This way also slightly reduces travel since the 1West and 2West teams all play each other four times.

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