NEW YORK — NBA commissioner Adam Silver mentioned Wednesday that whereas there was no particular dialogue of the upcoming arbitration between Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers, he mentioned his greater concern transferring ahead is “a trend of star players not participating in a full complement of games,” and hopes the league and the Nationwide Basketball Gamers Affiliation can deal with it.
“I’m not standing here saying I have a great solution,” Silver mentioned at a press convention right here in midtown Manhattan following this week’s two-day assembly of the Board of Governors. “Part of the issue is injuries. One of the things we have focused on at the league office and we’re spending — we had begun to spend a lot of time on pre-pandemic — are there things we can do in terms of sharing information, resources around the league to improve best practices, rehabilitation?
“The opposite method we are able to get at it, by way of participant participation, is creating different incentives. The Play-In Match, I believed, was a starting of making renewed incentives for groups to stay aggressive and be preventing for playoff place. It could be by way of in-season tournaments and adjustments in format the place we are able to get at it.”
Silver went on to say that there is even a possibility of looking at changing the 82-game schedule. While he hinted at it in earlier portions of his answer, he’s done little to hide his desire over the creation of an in-season tournament, and also said Wednesday that he’s happy with the way the play-in tournament has played out over the past two seasons since it was introduced.
“I even have mentioned up to now, if we’ve too many video games, that is one thing we should always have a look at as effectively,” Silver said. “It is one thing, as we sit down and we’re taking a look at new media offers and taking a look at a brand new collective bargaining settlement, we might be learning. There wasn’t any banging of the desk or something like that. From my discussions with gamers, they acknowledge it is a difficulty, too. The fashion of the sport has modified by way of the influence on their our bodies. I believe we have got to always assess and have a look at a market going ahead and say, what’s one of the best ways to current our product and over how lengthy a season?”
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Bobby Marks and Ramona Shelburne reported over the weekend that Simmons has filed a grievance to challenge the nearly $20 million of salary withheld to him by the 76ers this season.
The grievance — which will now go to an arbitration process — could have larger league implications amid future issues of mental health matters and NBA contracts.
Silver said the league would not have direct involvement in such arbitration, and that the league would remain on the sidelines during litigation.
Other topics Silver touched on included:
* Silver said that, despite anti-LBGTQ legislation being passed recently in Utah, the NBA has not discussed moving next year’s All-Star Game, and doesn’t anticipate doing so.
When asked what the difference was between this decision and the decision to move the Charlotte All-Star Game a few years ago over a similar bill, Silver said, “Each state of affairs is exclusive. Within the case of 2017 and HB2 in North Carolina, we have been working straight with the crew there. It appeared to us that there was a possibility to have a direct influence on that regulation, working with the bigger enterprise group.
“It’s our collective view that we can continue to operate in Utah, and frankly don’t want to be in a position where we’re chased from state to state around the country,” he mentioned. “Times have changed. There are different issues going on now in the country than there were in 2017. I personally don’t like the trend. We also are mindful as a league that we look for opportunities to unite people rather than divide them.
“I might simply say I’ve super respect for (Jazz proprietor) Ryan Smith. I believe he stood up in opposition to this invoice. We have joined him in opposing this invoice. However we additionally need to be lifelike, too, by way of the influence we are able to have. Within the case of HB2 in North Carolina, I believe it was our collective view, we working with the Hornets, that we might have an effect on that laws. I believe within the case of what is occurring in Utah proper now, that invoice is established.”
* When asked if there was an update into the investigation into the conduct of Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver after ESPN’s investigation last fall, Silver said there was not one, and would not share a timeline for when it would be completed.
“The investigation is ongoing,” Silver said. “I imply, these kind of investigations do take numerous time. You need to make sure that you collect all the information and also you additionally need to make sure that you defend the rights of the accused. So we need to err on the aspect of being very full. We’re actually nearer to the top than the start, but it surely’s onerous to place a exact timeline on it proper now.”
He gave a similar answer when asked about the league’s involvement in the lawsuit former Dallas Mavericks general manager Donnie Nelson has filed against the team.
“Our solely involvement proper now’s to observe the state of affairs. Usually, as you may think, inside an government committee, there’s a report of council to our homeowners,” he said. “However for probably the most half, our groups go away to the league workplace to supervise investigations, and that is the way it’s all the time been.”
* As far as tweaks to the game itself, Silver reiterated he’s very happy with the play-in tournament, and expects it to remain part of the league moving forward, though he did say it could have some tweaks done to it.
He also added that the idea of eliminating the “take 4” — a foul given to intentionally stop fast breaks before they get started — could happen by as soon as next season, though there are hurdles that remain before it could be changed.
“That’s one thing, as , we’re very targeted on and contemplating making a change for subsequent season,” Silver said, referring to eliminating the take foul. “We nonetheless have some work to do with our competitors committee. We’ll be assembly with the board once more in July, which might be a attainable time to vary that rule. However as we’re seeing type of a fairly dramatic improve in take fouls, we do not assume it is an ideal a part of our recreation. Worldwide basketball has one other method of getting at it, however that’s one thing that doubtlessly we would prefer to tweak.”
