Jeff Van Gundy Doesn't Like The Lottery System.

Houston Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy's mouth has gotten him in trouble with the Association before (anyone else remember him getting fined for a little tirade about selective officiating on Yao Ming?), and he has a way of making statements that don't disappoint. He's now saying the NBA should scrap the lottery system as it stands right now and give all teams an equal chance of getting the top pick, rather than the better chance going to the team with the worst record.

Gargamel's argument would be convincing if the NBA handed the first pick to the team with the worst record automatically, but having the most losses only ensures you get a better shot. After accusations of teams like the Rockets and the Knicks tanking to get top picks, David Stern took his iron fist and revamped the system where the worst team gets a 25% chance of getting the top pick. Ask Boston Celtics fans how that worked out when Tim Duncan was up as #1 and they had the most losses.

Yelling Louder suspects Van Gundy is espousing un-American ideals, but it's utterly egalitarian, and if we want to be really, truly capitalist, not only should the chances of the pick be open to every team (giving the best chance to the worst-off is pure welfare), but bring in soccer-style relegation: swap the Grizzlies, Celtics, and the Bobcats for the top D-League teams while we're at it.