What does the commissioner base his compensatory picks on?

The commissioner bases compensatory picks on teams losing players in unrestricted free agency. This mechanism is designed to help balance the competitive nature of the league. When a team loses a significant number of players through unrestricted free agency, they may be granted additional draft picks as compensation for these losses. This is particularly relevant if those players sign contracts with other teams that are of high value, which reflects their contributions and performance.

The intention behind compensatory picks is to assist teams that may have lost key players, thereby allowing them not to be overly penalized for losing talent to free agency. It prioritizes a competitive balance within the league by providing these teams with additional opportunities to bolster their rosters through the draft.