In an interview with Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports, NBA executive vice president Joe Dumars said that while he has sympathy for injured players, such as Joel Embiid and Tyrese Haliburton, who may miss out on postseason awards due to the 65-game requirement, he noted the rule was collectively bargained and approved by the National Basketball Players’ Association last year.
“You’re always gonna have unintended consequences, that’s the first thing,” Dumars told Yahoo Sports. “The second thing, you kind of knew that the first couple of guys that were going to get close to that mark, it will become an issue. So it probably was going to become a talking point at some point. It could’ve been a month from now. The number is what the number is. I’m not surprised, (though).”
Dumars also said the NBA has been talking to coaches, general managers and the competition committee about the rise in scoring over the past decade.
“The question is posed to each one of those groups: Is the balance out of whack? Do we need to balance this more to allow defenses to defend more, to do more on the defensive end of the court? And by and large, people are saying it wouldn’t be bad to have a little bit more defense,” Dumars said.
Here’s more from around the basketball world:
- The Ringer’s staff listed what they view as the 15 biggest challenges facing NBA commissioner Adam Silver over his next 10 years in office. Silver recently signed a contract extension that will keep him in charge of the league office through the rest of the decade. Perhaps the biggest challenge? According to Howard Beck, that will be finding the next “face of the league” when LeBron James and Stephen Curry retire.
- Jonathan Givony of ESPN (subscriber link) recently released an in-depth notebook from a 10-day scouting trip across Europe, with potential 2024 No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher among the players covered. At 6’10”, Risacher possesses a tantalizing blend of two-way skills and has excellent basketball instincts, according to Givony, who says the French 18-year-old has an “incredibly high floor” due to his “confidence, productivity and efficiency” while also having considerable upside.
- Grant Hill, a Hall of Fame player who is currently managing director of USA Basketball as well as a minority owner of the Hawks, is among a group of noteworthy investors who have agreed to buy the MLB’s Baltimore Orioles, per The Associated Press (link via ESPN.com). Longtime Orioles star Cal Ripken Jr. is another investor in the team. Hill has ties to the area, as he’s from northern Virginia, not far from Washington D.C.
- Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports explains why former NBA wing Tony Snell has family and health reasons for wanting to make it back to the league. Snell needs one more year of service (10) to qualify for the union’s premium medical insurance plan for families; he’s currently the only one covered, but he has two sons with autism spectrum disorder (Snell is also on the spectrum). The 32-year-old has spent the past two seasons with the Maine Celtics, Boston’s G League affiliate.
Some team will probably sign Snell near the end of the season. Either a team locked in to a spot trying to rest guys. The teams way out usually want to play young guys to get experience, but maybe 1 would sign him.
The Memphis Grizzlies were desperate enough to sign Matthew Hurt to a 10-day deal …. You telling me somebody can’t add Tony Snell as a body right now??? Charlotte??? Memphis???? Portland????? It shouldn’t take being called out by national media to have made this already happen.
Tony Snell made 53 million dollars in his career, there are teachers without any decent healthcare, we all need to really take a step back with this sympathy for a millionaire, how easily we are shuffled into a narrative
I would get the pressure if the kids were wheel chair bound or one of the major disabilities that impact having to customize house and have life long care. You can be high functioning Autistic, Snell made it to the NBA and didn’t even realize it.
Half of that went to taxes, agent, etc. …. He has a lifetime of taking care of himself and his kids. He is still in his 30’s.
NBA can find a way to keep Miles Bridges, Josh Giddey, etc. in the league …. They can find a way to show a goodwill gesture to a veteran player to show they actually care. The money is gonna get spent either way …. To a player who isn’t gonna play anything other garbage time, unless the squad in injury ravaged.
It’s insurance. He needs 2 games.
It is truly a shame the Chicago Bulls … Dalen Terry and Zach LaVine injured. Didn’t make the gesture. They drafted into the league.
Josh Giddey? Wasn’t he proved to have done nothing wrong? I’m fine calling out players like Bridges but let’s not continue a false narrative about a guy that did nothing
The balance is absolutely out of whack. The lack of defense has rendered the regular season to be near unwatchable. Playoff basketball features defense and real effort. Guys actually care.
It’s ok for the offense to thrive for a while then you realize while watching it becomes ridiculous to watch now as players now just keep on throwing the ball out there like they’re just practicing… it’s more of a competition to me if there’s more defense.
Nic Claxton is what now is defined as a premier post player.