NBA Commissioner Adam Silver speaks at a news conference before Game 1 of basketball's NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, May 31, 2018. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

NBA commissioner Adam Silver talks league innovation

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver talks innovation for the league, player movement and New York Mayor Eric Adams possible reevaluation of the vaccine mandate.

NBA IN-SEASON TOURNAMENT

 Silver, on Wednesday, discussed potential new traditions on the horizon for the NBA. Taking a page from European soccer leagues, a midseason NBA tournament could remedy regular season monotony. The idea for the commissioner is to not diminish the prestige of the Larry O’Brien championship. However, converting regular season games into a tournament which concludes with a trophy is a possibility. Commissioner Silver’s push for innovation is prompted by the evolution of how fans consume the NBA product. The concern is that the habits of fans watching the NBA are inconsistent due to the average length of an NBA game being more than two hours. If you worried a midseason tournament would only prolong the 82 game regular season fret not. Silver confirmed the potential tournament wouldn’t affect the scheduled season start or its conclusion.

COMMISSIONER SILVER ON PLAYER MOBILITY

When asked about player mobility, Silver touted the data showing him player movement isn’t necessarily a “bad thing”. However, he expressed players actively seeking to move while under contract is bad for the league. The commissioner’s comments come in the aftermath of the Ben Simmons-James Harden trade in which both players seemingly manufactured their way out of Philadelphia and Brooklyn respectfully. Still, the Commissioner views player mobility a beacon of hope for non-competitive teams looking to land a superstar impact player.

ADAM SILVER ON NYC VACCINE MANDATE: “ODDITY “

Despite his personal views on COVID-19 vaccination, Silver  believes newly elected New York Mayor Eric Adams could reevaluate the vaccine mandate. Commissioner Silver points out the “oddity” of the New York ordinance. Currently, Brooklyn Nets star point guard Kyrie Irving can’t play at the Barclays Center, but visiting players who are unvaccinated can.

The law’s objective is to protect people in attendance at arenas. According to Silver, it doesn’t make sense and is thus worth reconsidering.

 

About T.J. Legacy-Cole

T.J. Legacy-Cole is a published journalist, Sports Editor, host of The Soapboxx Podcast, and radio personality. Throughout his career he has been featured on many multimedia platforms such as TMZ Live, ESPN Radio, NPR Radio, Fox News Radio, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher Report, Yahoo Sports, USA Today, and more. Legacy is also an avid MMA and pro-wrestling enthusiast covering major events such as WWE WrestleMania and UFC pay-per-views.

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