Thoughts on changing the draft.

Having 3,4,or 5 rounds to the NBA draft makes no sense for players.  All it does is lock up more players’ rights for teams.  As it stands, the only guys who actually play an NBA game are the first rounders and about a third of the second round.  Most of the players in this group are washed out after 3-4 years.  Currently 2 rounds are more than enough for the talent coming out of college and internationally.  Very rarely does un an undrafted player make it to the NBA.

What I think the NBA should do is to guarantee contracts for the 2nd round.  That is a very inexpensive move that would lure a lot of borderline NBA-level guys who are in college to come out.  Guys that are currently late 1st/early 2nd round projections would be way more likely to come out if they were guaranteed a bit of mony.  Even if every 2nd rounder got say a 3 year contract with only the first year guaranteed, at a 1 million dollars per year, that would be huge.  Guys who are on the bubble would be guaranteed one million dollars for at least getting picked.  If they don’t make the team, they have a cool milli to start out their lives, or buy a first class ticket to the Euroleague or China or wherever.  Teams would hopefully get a 2nd round full of possible first rounders, for a very small price.  If the player pans out, they get a player for 3 years for only 3 M.  If the player can’t hack it, they cut him, and write off a paltry 1 M dollars.  One million dollars is nothing for NBA teams to have access at a much higher quality 2nd round at bargain basement rates.  Thoughts?