LeBron James on Postseason Play-In Idea: 'That's Corny'

LeBron James thinks the proposal of a postseason play-in idea is both 'wack' and 'corny.'

LeBron James.
USA Today Sports

Image via USA Today Sports/Ken Blaze

LeBron James.

The NBA, a league that already puts more than 50 percent of its teams in the playoffs following a six-month-long season, is considering extending their postseason by having a play-in for the 7-10 seeds in each conference (with the victors moving on). LeBron James, a player who has made it to seven straight NBA Finals, thinks that that's a stupid idea.

We know this because he was asked about it on Wednesday.

"No, no, no," James said, in response to being asked about a single elimination play-off for the final two spots. "That's wack. That's wack. Why? You got to earn your spot to be in the postseason. No consolation for finishing last. That's corny. That's corny. That's wack. To play for what? What are they playing for?"

In case that's not enough to let you know where he stands, James said that the top eight teams in both the East and West should make it to the postseason, without any additional qualifiers. In other words, don't change jack.

It was previously reported in February that the NBA was considering this new idea in an effort to generate interest in the sport during the typically dull annual stretch that hits in March and early April.

While the actual implementation of this idea may seem a bit far-fetched, ESPN reporter Zach Lowe wrote that there is some "behind-the-scenes momentum for the idea of a play-in tournament determining the last two seeds in each conference—to the point that two specific proposals are circulating at the highest levels within teams and the league office."

The most common form of the idea would pit the 7-seed against the 8-seed, and the 9-seed against the 10-seed. Obviously winners of those games would claim the right to get smoked in a best of 7 first-round matchup.

Again, James did not seem to buy into the proposal. "[Make the playoffs by winning the tournament], even if my record is better than yours? Nah, that's wack," he said.

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