How the WNBA Could Learn from an Outrageously Simple NBA Fix

The fragmented WNBA has a golden opportunity to be bold this offseason.

Their inspiration could come from a very conservative source – their men’s counterpart.

As it attempts to rise in stature, the WNBA has issues of which the NBA is quite familiar: veteran players jealous of young stars, minimal loyalty, tanking, and college standouts hoping not to get drafted by certain teams.

There’s a solution to all those problems, and it’s best envisioned by using the NBA as an example.

Imagine if NBA rosters were separated by birth, rather than drafts and free agency.

If you were born in 1984, as LeBron was, you are assigned to Team 84.

No trading. No playing up or down. Just a group of guys who could learn to live and play together for as long as they were the best of the bunch from their age group.

And talk about turning a negative into a positive: a healthy reason for older players to hate younger players, and vice versa.

Rosters are determined by open tryouts each year. Just bring a birth certificate.

Each team is then given an identical boatload of TV-revenue-printed cash from which to pay its players. Performance- and team-success-related bonuses would be available as well, allowing top players and top teams to be rewarded.

In the first year, all teams would play in one division. After that, they’d be separated into Heavyweight and Lightweight levels, based on the previous year’s record, with a set number of annual promotions and relegations.

Rosters would become familiar. Imagine that. Alas, that could be a good or a bad thing, but annual team tryouts and the inevitable retirements could reshape things as needed.

And with guys like LeBron, Durant, and Curry working with teammates year after year, imagine the potential development of young talents that today are shipped to unwanted new homes and career-killing situations.

Would this be fun? How could it not be? Every matchup would be an All-Star game — except with defense and an incentive to win.

Could this be competitive? You be the judge.

Here are the would-be NBA rosters I’ve thrown together:

1984: Chris Bosh, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Andre Iguodala, JJ Redick.
Tell me you wouldn’t pay to watch that team, even at its snail’s pace.

1985: Dwight Howard, P.J. Tucker, Taj Gibson, Monta Ellis, Chris Paul.
Lightweight division, here we come...

1986: Al Horford, Jeff Green, Wesley Matthews, Kyle Lowry, George Hill.
Something tells me Rajon Rondo would be making a comeback.

1987: Andrew Bynum, James Johnson, Joe Ingles, Danny Green, Mike Conley.
If nothing else, Bynum would love to prove he’s 7-foot-2, something the NBA never acknowledged.

1988: Brook Lopez, Kevin Love, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Stephen Curry.
Here’s where the real competition begins. Curry or no Curry, Patrick Beverley wants to start.

1989: Markieff and Marcus Morris, Jimmy Butler, DeMar DeRozan, James Harden.
Can we talk Blake Griffin into coming out of retirement?

1990: Nikola Vucevic, Draymond Green, Paul George, Klay Thompson, Damian Lillard.
Another positive about this new arrangement: no back-to-backs. Is that enough to tempt a John Wall, Kemba Walker, or DeMarcus Cousins comeback?

1991: Kelly Olynyk, Khris Middleton, Kawhi Leonard, CJ McCollum, Alec Burks.
Did you know McCollum has more career points than Leonard?

1992: Rudy Gobert, Harrison Barnes, Jordan Clarkson, Kyrie Irving, T.J. McConnell.
Given the limited other options, Irving might lead this league in scoring.

1993: Steven Adams, Andre Drummond, Anthony Davis, Norman Powell, Bradley Beal.
Nobody’s messing with this front line.

1994: Joel Embiid, Julius Randle, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Pascal Siakam, Derrick White.
The nightly battles would require depth, and this team has it: Fred VanVleet, Marcus Smart, Duncan Robinson …

1995: Nikola Jokic, Karl-Anthony Towns, Aaron Gordon, Andrew Wiggins, Zach LaVine.
Sorry, trading for a point guard’s not allowed, so this team is stuck with Kristaps Porzingis.

1996: Domantas Sabonis, Jaylen Brown, Donovan Mitchell, Devin Booker, Jalen Brunson.
Hey, Team USA Olympic coaches — there’s four-fifths of your 2028 starting lineup.

1997: Bam Adebayo, Lauri Markkanen, OG Anunoby, Jamal Murray, De’Aaron Fox.
OK, admit it — this league would be a lot of fun.

1998: Jarrett Allen, Jayson Tatum, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Austin Reaves, Trae Young.
Could Tatum and Young co-exist? Would SGA ever see the ball?

1999: Naz Reid, Jaren Jackson Jr., Luka Doncic, Jordan Poole, Ja Morant.
Can you imagine the number of open 3’s Doncic and Morant would create for Poole? Like he needs another reason to shoot.

2000: Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett, Tyler Herro, Tyrese Maxey, Tyrese Haliburton.
There’s Onyeka Okongwu for when Williamson gets hurt.

2001: Evan Mobley, Jalen Williams, Anthony Edwards, Cade Cunningham, LaMelo Ball.
Where did the American big men go?

2002: Alperen Sengun, Chet Holmgren, Paolo Banchero, Josh Giddey, Jalen Green.
In case you’re wondering … the WNBA 2002 team would include Caitlin Clark AND Angel Reese. Isn’t that enough to consider this proposal?

2003: Jabari Smith Jr., Ausar and Amen Thompson, Shaedon Sharpe, Keyonte George.
Admit it: You’d love to see the Thompson twins on the same team someday.

2004: Dereck Lively II, Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, Bronny James, Scoot Henderson.
Sorry, we had to guarantee Bronny a spot in order to get LeBron to endorse the crazy idea.

2005: Alex Sarr, Zaccharie Risacher, Ron Holland, Bub Carrington, VJ Edgecomb.
The good news: much more help is on its way from the college game.

2006: Khaman Maluach, Ace Bailey, Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, Jeremiah Fears.
Even college fans would embrace this concept, as NBA tryouts would not be college career-enders. If you don't make the team, you get to return to the alma mater if you have eligibility left.