In addition to addressing the state of the CBA negotiations between the NBA and NBPA during his press conference on Wednesday, commissioner Adam Silver spoke about several other topics, including rumors that he could replace Bob Iger as Disney’s CEO (“I have no intention of going anywhere,” Silver said) and his meeting earlier this month with Grizzlies guard Ja Morant.
As Tim Bontemps of ESPN relays, Silver also discussed the reports stating that Michael Jordan is in talks to sell a stake in the Hornets, explaining that Jordan expects to still be very much involved in the NBA even if he’s no longer the majority owner in Charlotte.
“One thing Michael has told me is that whether or not that transaction gets done, he will remain governor in the league, technically maybe the alternate governor instead of the governor, so he’ll still stay very involved,” Silver said. “He’d still continue to have an interest in the league.
“I recognize that over time, people’s interests move on to other areas. He’s not living in the market right now, etc. So, completely understandable. But the good news is, I think regardless of his ownership status, he will remain part and parcel of everything that this league continues to do. I have no doubt about that.”
Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- The 2023 MVP race is tighter than ever in the season’s home stretch, according to the third and final straw poll conducted by Tim Bontemps of ESPN. The 100 media members who submitted five-man ballots to Bontemps picked Sixers center Joel Embiid over Nuggets center Nikola Jokic by a grand total of two points (790 to 788). Jokic actually received more first-place votes (42) than Embiid (40), while Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo was also very much in the mix, with the remaining 18 first-place votes and 612 total points.
- Asked during an appearance on SiriusXM NBA Radio (Twitter audio link) if he has received feedback from NBA teams about why he’s not in the league, free agent center DeMarcus Cousins said he hasn’t gotten a real explanation. “I’ve asked many questions. I’ve reached out to former teams,” Cousins said. “I kind of get sugar-coated answers. I can never really get the raw, honest truth. I’ve struggled with that as well. I would love to get a real answer.”
- In an Insider-only article for ESPN.com, Kevin Pelton considers the effect a minimum games-played requirement would have on All-NBA voting, noting that players who have earned All-NBA honors while playing fewer than 58 games have often been among the league’s biggest superstars.
Cousins is such a loser. Instead of trying to get better and improve relationships, he tries to pull “victim” card. How about you not beat up on your girlfriend/wife, and not act like diva in the lockerroom?? Jeez… do I have to spell it out for you?
He’s probably leaving out that he wants way too much money too.
What did he do ?
NBA wants a minimum-game requirement for All-NBA???? This year proved you can win the NBA Dunk Contest without having played in an NBA game this year.
Not interested in CBA negotiations. Gonna keep having the Damion Lillard’s and Brad Beal’s of the world making $50+ million per year while playing like 50 games. $1 million per game for some players for what has turned into a Regular Season Low-
Effort League.
Why do you pocket watch players, but not the people paying them?
If you’re going to single out players single out ones that actually prove your point. Dillard played at least at least 58 games in every season except the last one. He’s in fact averaged 69.9 games per season. He played most of the last 2 seasons before his surgery with an abdominal tear.
Beal as well has played in at least 50 games every season but one and has averaged 63 games per season.
Ah yes, so basically saying out loud “As long as this rich degenerate gambler is still in the league, expect more BS from the corrupt refs, have fun!”
If you want to know why everyone says the NBA is almost WWE level right now, look no further than MJ’s “influence” (non-playing).
That’s rich coming from a Warriors fan, as if Steph would have any success without zebra teammates.
And if you think MJ has influence over all the other owners and the commissioner enough to advocate for rigged games? You probably eat oatmeal with a fork *shrugs*
And we’ll leave it at that.
Please go away silver. We have enough WWE on TV already
Without Silver there is no league. You should be grateful! Silver is Gold.
The answer is very simple. Without looking at his name, he is a floor spacing 5, that doesnt defend pick and roll, is foul and turnover prone, ball stopper offensively, but can be used as a playmaker from multiple areas of the floor, and can be used as a half court scorer in certain lineups off the bench where he can get more opportunities with the ball in his hands…
In today’s NBA, he does have use with his skillset, and there are teams that have players of similar skillsets on their rosters, but there are only so many roster spots for bigs, and little/non versatile guards, and the teams that could have potentially used him in that role already have that spot filled
That just makes him 1 of a multitude of players that could easily be in the league right now, but arent. It’s the hardest it has ever been to get to, and stay in, the NBA. Its unfortunate, and hopefully we can get 4 more teams within 10-12 years to help with that, as well as maybe more g-league control/possibly a limited 3rd 2 way slot…That being said, it’s not some type of crime he isnt in the league in comparison to someone else
So he should just keep working, take the opportunity to either make money somewhere, or get himself prepared/get right from anything that could be bothering his body, and he easily could get signed in the offseason b/c there arent that many floor spacing bigs, and more teams are figuring out what type of versatility they want at the 2/3/4 spots defensively, and also figuring out they can hide guys deficiencies in the right lineups, or by taking guys that need the ball in their hands more and using them off the bench so they can maximize their time on the floor
Embiid skipped out on the Nuggets game…
Minus 3 points…
Jokic is the real MVP…