Anshari TaslimThe National Basketball Association (NBA) is progressing with its plans for expansion, following a significant vote by the Board of Governors on Wednesday to formally explore the addition of two new franchises in Seattle and Las Vegas. This decision marks a pivotal step towards potentially growing the league, though numerous procedural stages remain before any new teams are officially confirmed in these markets. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver held a press conference after the announcement, where he addressed the expansion news and fielded questions on a range of critical league topics, including ongoing efforts to curb tanking, the player participation policy, and the recent discussions surrounding the 65-game rule for end-of-season awards.
League Prioritizes Tanking Reforms Ahead of Next Season
Among the discussions at the Board of Governors meeting, Commissioner Silver highlighted the persistent challenge of tanking as a key concern. Despite years of efforts and lottery reform aimed at disincentivizing teams from intentionally losing games to improve draft odds, the practice continues to be a recurring issue. The commissioner underscored the league’s commitment to finding a resolution, acknowledging its profound implications for competitive balance and the integrity of the game.
"I will say it seemed unanimous in the room that we needed to make a change, and we needed to make a change for next season," Silver stated, indicating a strong consensus among team owners. He confirmed that while no specific solutions were voted upon, the urgency to implement reforms is paramount. "Exactly what that change is, we’re continuing to work on. No votes were taken today. I think there’s also unanimous agreement that we need to make this change in advance of the draft and free agency this year, so all the teams understand the rules of the road going into next year. That means we will most likely have a special board meeting in May, in which, at that point, we will vote on whatever modification we come up with."
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Silver emphasized that any substantive changes would require approval at the ownership level, recognizing the broad business, basketball, and integrity implications involved. He acknowledged that while there have been perceived instances of egregious tanking this season, the current year might be an anomaly due to the widely anticipated depth and talent of the upcoming draft class. Historically, the NBA Draft has served as a primary mechanism for teams, particularly those in smaller markets, to acquire franchise-altering talent and accelerate rebuilding processes, inadvertently fueling the incentive to secure higher draft picks.
"We’ve been hard at work on this issue for several months now," Silver added. "We’ve been talking separately to our general managers. I do think ultimately this is a decision that needs to be made at the ownership level. It has business implications, has basketball implications, has integrity implications for the league. So it’s one that we take very seriously, and we’re going to fix it, full stop." The commissioner’s firm stance underscores the league’s determination to address a problem that has periodically drawn criticism from fans and media alike.
NBA Investigating Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Sidelining Concerns
Another significant topic raised during Silver’s press conference involved the Milwaukee Bucks’ handling of two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) issued a public statement earlier in the week expressing concerns regarding reports that the Bucks intended to sideline Antetokounmpo for the remainder of the season, potentially for strategic draft positioning, despite him being deemed healthy.
The NBPA’s statement read, in part: "The player participation policy was designed by the league to hold teams accountable and ensure that when an All-Star like Giannis Antetokounmpo is healthy and ready to play, he is on the court. We look forward to collaborating with the NBA on meaningful new proposals that will directly address and discourage tanking." This public declaration from the players’ union highlighted a potential conflict between team strategy and player participation expectations.
When questioned about the NBPA’s statement and whether the league was launching an investigation into the matter, Silver confirmed that the league would review the situation. "Prior to that press release from the players association, we were not aware there was an issue," Silver stated. "We knew Giannis was injured. He was within the sort of usual period it was taking to come back from that injury. So I was a bit surprised by that press release. Yes, when our players association announces they see an issue, of course we’ll look into it. So that’s where it currently stands."
Antetokounmpo, a cornerstone of the Bucks franchise and a former NBA champion, has experienced intermittent absences from the lineup since January due to various minor ailments. The NBPA’s intervention suggests a heightened sensitivity to instances where healthy star players might be strategically rested by teams, a practice often linked to attempts to improve draft lottery odds. The league has previously issued fines to teams found to be resting healthy players without adequate justification, underscoring its commitment to ensuring star player availability. The outcome of the league’s review into the Bucks’ handling of Antetokounmpo is pending.
No Plans to Abolish or Alter the 65-Game Rule for Awards
The NBPA also voiced strong criticism this week regarding the NBA’s 65-game rule, which dictates player eligibility for end-of-season awards such as MVP and All-NBA selections. The union called for the rule to be abolished or reformed, citing Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham’s situation as an "indictment" of the current policy. Cunningham, a promising young talent, faces potential ineligibility for awards due to a recently announced collapsed lung, an injury that forced him out of play.
Despite the union’s robust stance, Commissioner Silver indicated that there are no immediate plans to alter the 65-game threshold. He defended the rule by contextualizing its introduction, highlighting its role in addressing a prior league-wide concern.
"In fairness to the players association, I would never say there’s not something we’re not willing to talk to them about," Silver acknowledged. "Things come up all the time on both sides. I would only say, take a step back. It’s only the third year now that the 65-game rule has been put in effect. And a few years ago, when I was standing in front of all of you, you weren’t asking me about tanking. You were asking me about load management, and you’re saying, ‘What in the world are you guys going to do about the fact that star players aren’t playing enough games?’ And we did a number of things, but one of the things we did in agreement with the players association was to put in place the 65-game rule to ensure that to be eligible, to be an MVP or All NBA or All Defense, that you needed to play those 65 games."
The 65-game rule was implemented as a direct response to increasing instances of "load management," where star players were frequently rested for significant portions of the regular season, leading to concerns about competitive integrity and fan experience. The rule aims to incentivize consistent player participation, which directly impacts the value of regular-season games and the overall product.
Silver also addressed the specific case of Cade Cunningham, expressing empathy while reiterating the broader principle of the rule. "We always knew when there’s a line you draw, that somebody’s going to fall on the other side of that line," Silver commented. "It may feel unfair in that particular instance. Let’s see what happens at the end of this year. By the way, to Cade Cunningham, he’s an incredible player, and I’m sorry that he’s injured, and I can’t wait to see him back on the floor. But having said that, we also have to remember that the extent that one player is no longer eligible, some other player will then be All-NBA and will slot into that spot. So I’m not ready to stand here saying ‘I don’t think it’s working.’ I think it’s working. I think if you look at the numbers, the pre-implementation of this rule, numbers were going in the wrong direction."
Cunningham, who suffered his injury five minutes into his 61st game, currently needs to play five more games to meet the 65-game threshold for award eligibility. An existing exception to the rule allows for players who have played at least 62 regular-season games (and 85% of their team’s games) and then suffer a season-ending injury to remain eligible. However, Cunningham’s injury is not classified as season-ending, and he fell short of the 62-game minimum for this specific exception. While the commissioner believes the rule is achieving its intended purpose of increasing star player availability, the unique circumstances of Cunningham’s situation could potentially prompt further discussion about minor adjustments to the exception clauses in future collective bargaining agreements, although no such changes are currently planned.
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