NBA Commissioner Adam Silver delivered his annual All-Star address to the media and fielded questions.
Last year in Toronto, Adam Silver faced a much tougher audience. At that time, the Collective Bargaining Agreement loomed, so much of the talk centered on contract negotiations. Therefore with the CBA put to rest earlier this season there were seemingly fewer pressing issues to address for Silver.
Related: CBA officially ratified by NBA Board of Governors and Players Union
The obvious exceptions were Silver needing to comment on how the travel ban could effect the NBA given the number of international players. And, the situation which brought the All-Star Game to New Orleans in the first place (HB2 – the law revolving around transgender bathroom use.
Arguably, the biggest news was Silver discussing extending the NBA season. This came about following research that demonstrated a direct correlation to player injuries being directly related to fatigue. As a result the obvious goal of the extension would be reduce back-to-back games and cut down or eliminate four games in five nights for teams. From a marketing standpoint it would also behoove the Association to have the players stars playing in all games instead of opting for rest which has been an increasing trend.
Other points addressed:
- The D-League will now be referred to as the Gatorade League or “G-League”
- NBA partnering with NBA 2K to develop an NBA 2K League
- The NBA will travel to Africa to Johannesburg for a game on August 5th
In response to specific media questions:
More from Thunderous Intentions
- Stealing one player from every Southwest Division team for the OKC Thunder
- Should the OKC Thunder chase after a disgruntled hometown hero?
- 3 OKC Thunder players who can step up in Aleksej Pokusevski’s absence
- Aleksej Pokusevski sidelined approximately 6 weeks with ankle injury
- Damian Lillard does not fit with the OKC Thunder
- 2-way G-League players will be a part of the CBA. However, the other G-League players will not be part of the CBA.
- Extending on the above points to the need to develop and ratifying a G-League CBA. Or incorporate it into the existing CBA. Factors effecting this will be the Board of Governors and Players Union coming to terms on an agreed age limit. Currently the League is more desirous of an age limit (21-22). While the Players union is intent on lowering the limit to 18.
- Adam Silver commented he has reached out to the new Governor Cooper in North Carolina regarding the possibility of returning to NC in 2018 (if the HB2 law is removed).
- Silver on global mobility and White House travel ban- 25 percent of the Association’s players are international.
- James Dolan – Charles Oakley meeting- he does not feel the situation has been completed resolved. Of note: Oakley is in attendance in New Orleans.
- In response to how motivated the Association is to grow the game in Africa- Silver said ‘very.” Furthermore, he commented there are currently 14 African born players,several with parents born there.
Moving forward, the Association will focus on the trade deadline February 23rd and then likely dive back into the main issues outlined above.