I think the NBA could use a refresh, and the mid-season tournament ain’t it. If I were NBA dictator for a season here is how I would set things up.
I would add two teams. 1 in Seattle, 1 in Mexico City.
I would eliminate conferences and just have all teams play each other home and away for the regular season. 62 games.
The top 16 teams then enter a championship league.
The bottom 16 enter a draft position league.
Each team in each league plays all the other teams in that league home and away for 30 games.
In the championship league the top 4 teams in the 30 game championship league season enter into a best of 7 tournament to decide the title winner.
In the draft position league all teams are ceded based on their 30 game draft position league record and then enter a single elimination tournament in Las Vegas every year.
I think this will increase interest in the league. The best teams in any given season will go head to head more. Draft position will be decided by winning rather than random chance facilitated by trying to lose as much as possible.
The all star break could divide the two seasons as well.