The NBA has continued discussions with the National Basketball Players Association (the NBPA) about putting an end to the league's "one-and-done" rule to allow more talent to join the league at a younger age, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The one-and-done rule is a NBA policy that says all players need to spend at least a year in college or at least one season somewhere else after graduating from high school before they are allowed to participate the draft.

The league believed that this policy could help youngsters grow more mature, both physically and mentally, and therefore be better prepared for the professional world in the NBA. Moreover, it's also in the interest of the NCAA as it is able to keep all the promising players for at least a year.

According to Woj, the NBA and the NBPA resumed talks because it's getting close to the league's preferred date of 2022 for the rule to be abolished and the joining age to be lowered down to 18 years old. "There was a run on trying to get 2022 picks at the trade deadline," said one general manager to ESPN.

Both players and the NBA will benefit if young players can arrive at a younger age. Players will have one extra year added to their career and that can be worth millions, even tens of millions, of U.S. dollars on income. As for teams, younger ones are more adaptable and have more possibilities.

Besides cancelling the one-and-done rule and lowering the age limit, the NBA also wanted something else from the NBPA: transparency on player medical information. Medical records have been one of the most powerful weapons for agents to use as leverage. However, without such key information, teams do not have a clear knowledge of the young men's health and thus often risk using high picks on players with the potential for serious injuries.

(Top image: Tracy McGrady #1 and Kobe Bryant #24, both joined the NBA directly after high school. /VCG Photo)