The JBL Summit - July 20th

Well, what a night! 7 JBL owners descended on the Keg and the restaurant matched our class with wonderful service and food. The 7 teams represented on this evening were - Golden, Chilliwack, Idaho, French Lick, Brussels, Maui and Arctic. We talked, we ate, we drank, we talked, and ate some more. In the end, we think we've come up with some pretty solid foundation points to move forward on. So, let's recap. And I will apologize now - it's a lengthy document.

The JBL is now 20 years old. It's time to put our league rules into a Constitution. Benny has been tasked with this and will work on it over the summer months. Most of the rules are posted on the JBL website but we want to create a BIBLE of JBL rules and restrictions so it's clear for everyone.

The 1st ever JBL rookie draft looks like it's a go. We need 9 out of 13 JBL owners to say YES to the rookie draft. So far, we have 7 YES (all in attendance tonight) and 2 NO (Bangkok and Seoul). We still need definitive answers from Yuma, MBB, Belgrade, and Juan de Fuca. If we get the required 9 YES's then we will be holding the 1st ever JBL rookie lottery and draft later this year. So, how would it work?

The JBL lottery would/could be held anytime after the 9th YES vote is obtained. The lottery system proposed (for this year) would be an equal-weighted ping pong ball lottery draft. Each JBL team would have 1 ping pong ball in the hopper (so everyone has equal opportunity of obtaining the 1st rookie pick).

We propose the JBL rookie draft to be 1 round of 13 picks. Any rookies not selected in this draft would be eligible for Auction (same as years past).

The lottery proposal would be in a reverse draw order. So, the first ball out gets the 13th pick, then 12th, then 11th and so on until the last ball drawn gets the 1st rookie pick. This keeps the suspense going until the final ball is drawn.

This lottery draft would be an event in itself and I propose an evening is planned around it.

This lottery could be held at any point over the summer. It should be held before October 1st.

Our off-season roster management needs to be better refined in the coming years. Currently, on July 1st, all JBL teams are required to reduce their roster to a maximum of 10 players. On Sept. 1st - JBL rosters are reduced to a maximum of 6 players. No trades are allowed during the summer months. Finally, on October 1st, all JBL teams are required to reduce their rosters to the maximum allowable protection available to them based on the previous years' standings.

Once all JBL rosters (Oct. 1st) are trimmed - we also open up the JBL to trades. Currently, we have stated that a team that can only protect 1 player (based on previous years standings) can still only protect one player. Now, after recent discussions, we seem to be in agreement that the next JBL season should start on October 1st and teams can start to build their teams through the draft and trades. (Example: Golden finished 12th last year and I can keep 1 player. Kevin Love. After October 1st, I have always been able to trade Kevin Love. Now, I could trade Love for 3 players if I so desired and bring those 3 players into the season). This probably needs to be voted on.

So, with the rookie lottery held before October 1st - then the 2 week rookie Christmas party begins. The proposal would see 13 days of JBL rookie draft. On Oct 1st, the team with the 1st pick has 24 hours to make a pick or a trade. On October 2nd, the team with the 2nd pick has 24 hours to make a pick or a trade. And so on...This gives us 2 solid weeks of JBL build up to the Auction.

We propose that JBL teams must select a rookie. At the end of the 2 week rookie draft, JBL teams would have the option to drop/release the rookie from their team if they so desired. The rookie would then be available at Auction and awarded to the highest bidder. The highest bid would also be his salary (ie. the rookie draft salary would not apply).

We propose JBL rookies drafted would fall under the same protection rules already in place.

We propose that rookie picks could be traded for players or other picks. (ie. I could trade Kevin Love to another team for their rookie pick)

We propose the rookie draft pick would not count against any previous allotment of players. Example - Bangkok has 4 keepers spots. Now he has 1 rookie spot. So, he could have 5 players on his team before the Auction even happens. Or, he could trade one of his keepers for another player and pick. So, he would have 4 players and 2 rookie picks - now he has 6 players on his team before Auction. This is OK. Essentially, the way to look at this would be to remember that after October 1st - any roster minimums or maximums are gone and the new JBL season is underway. Further example - Golden currently has 1 keeper spot. Currently, I have 5 guys on my roster still. By October 1st, I have to reduce my roster to just my 1 keeper (Love). Once that happens I will have 1 player and 1 rookie pick. So, 2 spots. However, I could use Love and my rookie pick and trade them to another team for their 4 protected players (that would be the maximum any team could have) and their pick. So, I would have 4 players and 1 rookie pick. Golden would enter the Auction with 5 players. This would be OK under the proposed system.

Any players on JBL rosters after October 1st could be released due to injury up until 1 week prior to the JBL Auction date. Obviously, if a guy blows a knee and is out for the season, we should NOT have to keep this player through to the Auction.

For the 1st year of the rookie draft we are proposing an equally weighted system to determine the draft order (ie. each JBL team has 1 ping pong ball). Next year, assuming their is a 2011/12 NBA season, we propose that our JBL rookie lottery is weighted (just like the NBA). If you finish 13th - you would have 13 ping pong balls. 12th gets 12 balls. On down the list. The JBL Champ would have 1 ball in the pot and have a 1 in 91 chance to win the lottery. In the event that the entire 2011/12 NBA season is cancelled - we propose that the 2012 JBL rookie draft be equally weighted again.

Any rookie selected in this year's draft (2011) would keep the same salary for next season (if the entire NBA season is cancelled). (ie. no $5 dollar bump)

We propose all current keeper allotments remain in place (13th - no keepers; 11th & 12th = 1 keeper; etc)

We propose to maintain current salary cap restrictions - $200 minimum and $300 maximum. Could Lebron ($75) be traded for a future rookie pick - yes - provided the team trading Lebron meets the salary cap requirements.

All rookie picks that get traded during the course of the season would be tracked on the JBL website.

JBL teams could obtain/acquire/use multiple rookie picks if they so desired. All current salary cap and roster restrictions would apply.

We propose that rookie picks can only be traded one year in advance. For example, I can't trade Kevin Love to Chilliwack for his rookie picks in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015.

We propose that all 2011 rookie picks must be used and not traded to future picks. (Let's test drive the new system and see that it works before messing with it too much)

SALARY STRUCTURE FOR ROOKIES

This was the most debated and discussed topic of the evening. Trying to figure out what the JBL salary of each rookie pick should be. It can't be too high because there won't be enough value picks. So, one suggestion was to weight it the same way the NBA currently does. The NBA salary cap last year was 58 million and the 1st pick (John Wall) made 4.4 million (or 7.5% of the cap). In the JBL, some would say our cap is $260. Some would say it's $300. Others might say it's $200.

In the $260 scenario - the 13 picks salaries - based on the same % weighting as the NBA salary cap would look like this (1st thru 13th).

19-17-15-14-13-11-10-9-8-8-8-7-7

This doesn't work because no JBL team, wants to pay $7 bucks for the 13th best rookie. Our own JBL Auction history is filled with $1 and $2 dollar nuggets.

In the $200 JBL cap scenario, picks 1 thru 13 would look like this...

15-13-12-11-10-8-8-7-6-6-6-5-5.

Again, the drop off just doesn't appear to be significant enough to make those last few picks worthwhile.

So, after crunching some more numbers and looking back at some previous JBL Auctions I think I have come up with a possible salary structure. But first, just by way of history, did you know that JBL owners drafted 11 rookies on Auction night in 2010? And in the 2009 JBL Auction - 12 rookies were selected? So, we do draft rookies. Some more than others for sure.

Last year, JBL owners spent $49 on Blake Griffin, $37 on John Wall and $27 on DeMarcus Cousins. Also, $9 on Wesley Johnson, $7 on Derrick Favors, and $6 on Evan Turner. Yes, there are $1 dollar specials in there as well, but it goes to show you that we will take a chance with our JBL dollars on Auction night.

So, here's my proposal for a salary structure. From the past drafts I've looked at there always appears to be more bargain hunting going rather than paying big bucks on an unknown. That being said, there are always 2 or 3 rookies who get big bucks on Auction night. However, I think we want to make sure that rookies can be bargains and that JBL teams are rewarded for taking the risk of the kid panning out. And I don't think we want to lose that. So, I propose we go with a lower salary structure. This would also place great excitement and potential of landing that #1 overall pick and landing a future stud player and keeper for 3 years. Here's my proposed structure.

Pick 1 = $15 dollar JBL salary

Pick 2 = $12 bucks

Pick 3 = $10 bucks

Pick 4 - $8 bucks

Pick 5 - $7 bucks

Pick 6 - $6 bucks

Pick 7 - $5 bucks

Pick 8 - $4 bucks

Pick 9 - $3 bucks

Pick 10 - $2 bucks

Pick 11 - $1 buck

Pick 12 - $1 buck

Pick 13 - $1 buck

I propose that picks 11-13 are all $1 dollar as that appears to be reaching the maximum number of rookies we draft every year. So, would a JBL team be willing to take a risk on a rookie for $3 bucks at pick #9?? I say sure. Why not? And if they didn't like the kid - they could always drop him up until 1 week prior to the Auction. Or they could pick at #9 and try to trade him. The options are there and it's very minimal risk (in dollars).

And how about the top 3 picks being $15, $12 and $10? You wouldn't want Blake Griffin for $15? John Wall for $12? Or Cousins for $10? Remember what they went for at Auction last year (49, 37, and 27)!! Think of how excited you would be to land the #1 pick in the JBL rookie draft knowing that Blake Griffin will be yours for $15 bucks. Think of the trade offers you would get for that pick? And if you didn't want to pay $15 bucks for a rookie - you could always trade down and try to get a $1 dollar rookie with the 11th pick. The options are endless!!

This salary structure needs to be voted on and approved.

There you have it guys...I tried to summarize our evening in here. If I've missed anything please let me know. The goal is to make the rookie draft fun. For Rick and Phil, who are currently opposed, I hope this might make them see how much fun this rookie lottery would be as well as the 2 weeks of rookie picks and trading would be leading up to the JBL Auction. Usually, we are all anxiously awaiting the 3rd Saturday in October for the JBL season to start. With the rookie draft and proposed roster changes - our JBL season will now start on October 1st. JBL teams can build through the rookie draft and through trades like never before. I think it's very exciting stuff.

Thanks to the 6 JBL owners who all took time out of their busy lives to meet for dinner tonight. I thought it was awesome and that we should definitely do it more often. And as Benny asked during dinner - how many guys are out there (aged 20+ to 40+) - that are discussing a fantasy basketball league in the middle of July when the NBA is locked out???? Unreal. The JBL truly is awesome and you guys make it that way. So I thank all of you...and to all a good night.