The addition of the play-in tournament could lead to bad draws for top seeds. Fix that and add some more stakes by letting the best teams draft first-round opponents.
Small correction re: the football European Super League - players, coaches etc might be banned from FIFA competitions (rather than FIBA, which is the global basketball governing body).
If the top teams don't want to play a particular lower seed, then they can work as hard to lose some games to manipulate who their opponent will be, as lower seeds do to winning games to avoid the higher ones. The better teams can rest their best players while working their way down the seedings, which would also create some chaos league-wide, as lottery teams would gain additional wins. I am, ultimately, mainly about chaos.
I still want the best sixteen W/L records to make the tournament, instead of 1-8 by conference, but there's something about being able to choose your opponent that I just don't like.
I don't think the drafting of first-round opponents would be used that often (used meaning, enacted, rather than just taking the seeds as-is). I think players would fear insulting their friends, their (potential) future teammates, and heck, their enemies (making them more inspired in the series, as you suggest). I could see it being used for the occasional ringer team, but if it's only used once or a twice a decade, is it worth it? I don't think so.
I'd rather see the first round go back to a best-of-three with all three games at home for the higher seed.
I would love for top seeds to get to draft their first round opponents and it actually feels kind of possible now.
Small correction re: the football European Super League - players, coaches etc might be banned from FIFA competitions (rather than FIBA, which is the global basketball governing body).
If the top teams don't want to play a particular lower seed, then they can work as hard to lose some games to manipulate who their opponent will be, as lower seeds do to winning games to avoid the higher ones. The better teams can rest their best players while working their way down the seedings, which would also create some chaos league-wide, as lottery teams would gain additional wins. I am, ultimately, mainly about chaos.
I still want the best sixteen W/L records to make the tournament, instead of 1-8 by conference, but there's something about being able to choose your opponent that I just don't like.
I don't think the drafting of first-round opponents would be used that often (used meaning, enacted, rather than just taking the seeds as-is). I think players would fear insulting their friends, their (potential) future teammates, and heck, their enemies (making them more inspired in the series, as you suggest). I could see it being used for the occasional ringer team, but if it's only used once or a twice a decade, is it worth it? I don't think so.
I'd rather see the first round go back to a best-of-three with all three games at home for the higher seed.