Unless Stern, or someone else, is a mastermind who has figured out how to rig the league without any help, such a conspiracy would inevitably come out. Conspiracy theorists never take into account just how hard it is to suppress something that juicy.

They cannot give the top pick to multiple teams. So having a vested interest in every team simply means having it in none. It is, after all, a relative thing. If every scenario is one that would please the NBA, they may as well let it play out naturally and be pleased by whatever happens.

Simply put, The NBA front-office has too much control over the game to be objective.  I think Feldman proved they have too much vested interest (from a variety of perspectives) in the NBA’s success NOT to interfere.

Basketball, like everything else in this world is a business, and unlike many other sports, almost NO independent scrutiny over their practices.  I can’t say the draft is rigged.. but there is TOO large of a conflict of interest to blithely ignore the possibility, as the author has attempted.

I wouldn’t knock conspiracy theories because, really, how ridiculous was it that Cleveland won the lottery the summer after losing LB23? Or that series against Cleveland in 2007? For that matter, screw Cleveland.

I’m hoping Stern decides to recapture lost attendance in Detroit and gives it to us.