The OKC Thunder didn't make many headlines this week with All-Star Weekend in full swing, but NBA Commissioner Adam Silver still spoke about league issues that heavily affect the team's future.
Most notably, Silver spoke transparently on the latest tanking dilemma, as teams like the Jazz and Grizzlies have been exploiting the league's draft lottery system by benching their stars to improve their odds of securing a top pick.
Silver said mostly all the right things, but one of his proposed solutions will have Thunder fans cowering in fear over the future of their franchise.
Silver said he would "seriously consider" getting rid of the draft altogether, which would mean all rookies would enter the league as free agents and would be able to sign with whomever they choose.
Thunder would be one of the first casualties of this hypothetical
While this is merely just a proposal, fans of the Thunder and other small-to-mid market teams should be praying he doesn't see the solution through.
Without a draft, teams would have to attract rookies like any other free agent player. Such an idea would greatly benefit larger market teams that historically experience success signing big names out of free agency.
Teams like the Knicks, Lakers, Mavericks, and Warriors would see a major influx of talent, while lesser buzzed-about squads would be starving for young players.
Oklahoma has never been the epitome of a desirable landing spot for free agents. They have signed the occasional veteran piece here and there, but they have relied heavily on trades and draft picks to build their rosters throughout the years.
This Thunder team boasts the best record in the league, and much of its main core is homegrown drafted talents, excluding Isaiah Hartenstein (free agency) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (trade).
Silver's proposal would completely change the course of the league
Silver's proposal would uproot everything the NBA has been building over the past few years. Three of the last five NBA champions have come from small-to-mid markets, including last year's Thunder team, which beat another small-market team, the Indiana Pacers, in a thrilling seven-game series.
Silver's heart is definitely in the right place. Tanking has been getting out of hand and is compromising the integrity of the league. This unconventional solution, however, is not the answer.
The effects would prove insurmountable for many franchises and would set larger markets up for dynastic-level dominance.
While the idea is unlikely to come to fruition, the fact that Silver is even considering it means that the league is willing to take drastic measures to counter the unsportsmanlike conduct of recent bottom-feeding franchises.