Adam Silver Rumors | Hoops Rumors

And-Ones: Age Limit, Summer League, Hibbert, Toupane

July 17th, 2018 at 9:14pm CST by clarkcrum

As we’ve relayed previously, NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced during an NBA Board of Governors meetings in Las Vegas last week that the NBA is ready to make changes to its age limit, thereby potentially allowing high school seniors the opportunity to jump straight to the NBA once again.

However, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN, teams have been told privately by league officials not to expect a change to the age limit until the 2022 NBA Draft at the earliest.

Assuming the 2022 NBA Draft allows high school players to jump directly to the NBA, players entering their freshman year of high school this fall will be the first ones to benefit from this potential rule change.

As for any trades that could be affected by this, no team has as yet traded an unprotected 2022 first-rounder, and the only one that could potentially change hands at this point was sent by the Mavericks to the Hawks in order to move up in this year’s draft and select Luka Doncic.

It will be interesting to see whether teams will be wary of trading draft picks in 2022 and beyond before a final ruling is made on this issue.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the NBA:

In a Q&A piece for ESPN, several different writers spoke about who they believed to be the standouts and disappointments from this year’s NBA Summer League. Wendell Carter, Kevin Knox, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Deandre Ayton were among the rookies recognized, while John Collins and Josh Hart were two players who were mentioned as probably too good to have even played in this year’s summer league.
In an interview with TMZ Sports, former NBA player Roy Hibbert says that he is done playing professional basketball, explaining that “It’s just time to move on.” Hibbert, 31, was named an All-Star as recently as 2014, but saw his impact dwindle over his last few years in the league as he got older and the game got smaller and quicker.
French forward Axel Toupane, who appeared in 25 total NBA regular season games in 2016 and 2017, has signed with EuroLeague club Olympiacos B.C. after helping lead Zalgiris Kaunas to the EuroLeague Final Four last season, reports Emiliano Carchia of Sportando.

Adam Silver Talks Warriors, Playoffs, Free Agency

July 11th, 2018 at 11:09am CST by ChrisCrouse

It isn’t “necessarily” bad that the Warriors are so dominant, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said during a Tuesday press conference in Las Vegas (link via Mark Medina of The Mercury News). Silver explained that the NBA isn’t trying to create a “forced parity,” but wants to ensure that there’s a “parity of opportunity” for the league’s 30 teams.

“There’s a fair point to be made in a tax system when certain teams are spending significantly more than others, that’s not parity of opportunity,” Silver added. “Also, certain teams have advantages other teams don’t based on their resources and market and the wealth of the market. They may be in a position to go deeper into the tax than another team does.

“Under the current system right now, we want teams to compete like crazy. The Warriors, within the framework of this deal, should be doing everything they can to increase their dominance,” Silver continued. “That’s what you want to see. We want every team to compete in every way they can within the rules. If it makes sense to make adjustments to the rules next time, we’ll look into that.”

Here are a few more notable comments from Silver’s Tuesday’s presser:

Silver acknowledged that the idea of seeding teams 1 through 16 in the postseason has “real appeal,” but cautioned that it would take time to implement (link via Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN). “In our estimate, we could be looking at roughly 40-50% more travel,” Silver said. “It doesn’t mean we can’t, but it is not something we can do quickly. It would require really a wholesale re-examination of how we do the schedule, how our television deal works.”
The NBA may make adjustments to the start of the free agent period to avoid having it begin at midnight ET on July 1, according to Silver (via Youngmisuk). With so much attention focused on free agency, the league would like to avoid having the first wave of major signings break in the middle of the night.
Silver spoke about the California Classic Summer League, adding that it “exceeded all expectations,” as NBC Sports California relays (on Twitter). The league will discuss expanding it beyond the current structure, which only features four teams, including the host Kings.
According to Silver, the investigation into workplace misconduct allegations in the Mavericks‘ business offices should wrap up by the end of July (link via Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press).
As we detailed on Tuesday night, Silver suggested that the NBA expects to make adjustments to its one-and-done rule for prospects in the coming years.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

NBA Expected To Lower Age Limit

July 10th, 2018 at 11:01pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The one-and-done rule may soon come to an end, as NBA commissioner Adam Silver believes it’s time to consider allowing recent high-school graduates to enter the league.

“I’m not here to say we have a problem,” Silver said via NBA.com. “And I love where the league is right now. But I think we can create a better system.”

The new system should be in place by the 2021 draft, though there was no official timeline set.

“My personal view is that we’re ready to make that change,” Silver said. “It won’t come immediately. But when I’ve weighed the pros and cons, given that Condoleezza Rice and her commission have recommended to the NBA that those one-and-done players now come directly into the league and in essence the college community is saying `We do not want those players anymore,’ I think that tips the scale in my mind.”

Changes to the age-limit rule would require an amendment to the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. NBPA executive director Michele Roberts said she expects there will be some news in the coming weeks, adding “Stay tuned.”

Adam Silver Signs Extension Through 2023/24

June 27th, 2018 at 3:05pm CST by Luke Adams

NBA commissioner Adam Silver has finalized a contract extension that will keep him in his current role through the 2023/24 season, according to a press release from the NBA.

Silver, who became the NBA’s commissioner in February 2014, previously served as the league’s deputy commissioner and chief operating officer under David Stern.

The NBA has enjoyed a period of significant growth under Silver’s guidance. The league agreed to a record-breaking TV contract salary cap during Silver’s first year as commissioner, and the salary cap – which came in at approximately $58.7MM at the time of Silver’s promotion – is poised to surpass the $100MM mark for the first time for the 2018/19 season.

Silver’s new extension figures to keep him under contract through the end of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement. The current CBA – which took effect last summer – technically runs for 10 years, but the NBA and the players’ union will have an opportunity to opt out of the agreement in 2024.

Adam Silver Speaks On Hard Cap, Other Topics

June 1st, 2018 at 12:08pm CST by Arthur Hill

A salary cap system that has contributed to the same NBA Finals matchup in four straight seasons was among the topics commissioner Adam Silver addressed Thursday in his annual pre-Finals news conference, relays Steve Aschburner of NBA.com.

The Warriors and Cavaliers have the league’s two highest payrolls, with both topping $137MM. This season’s biggest salaries belong to Golden State’s Stephen Curry at $34.7MM and Cleveland’s LeBron James at $33.3MM.

Amid complaints that having the same two teams meet for the championship every season is harmful to the league, Silver addressed questions on whether a hard salary cap is needed, similar to the NFL’s. The current system allows teams to go over the cap to re-sign their free agents and provides yearly exceptions for teams that elect to use them.

“Now [the hard cap is] something that we’ll continue to look at,” Silver said. “There are pros and cons to doing it. Historically, one of the issues in our league was we didn’t necessarily want to break up teams. There is a different sense in the NBA than the NFL, and the chemistry and dynamic that comes together with a group of players.”

Any changes to the salary cap would have to be negotiated with the players’ union through collective bargaining, Aschburner notes. The year’s cap is set at $99MM, with the luxury tax threshold at $119.2MM.

Silver touched on several other topics during his session with the press:

He declined to comment on the specifics of the accusations surrounding Sixers executive Bryan Colangelo, noting that the team is conducting an investigation, but acknowledged the charges tarnish the league’s reputation. “Here we are, Game 1 of the Finals,” Silver said. “It’s not necessarily something we want to be talking about.”
Some gambling enterprises are objecting to a 1% “integrity fee” that Silver hopes to collect through legalized sports betting, but he believes it’s a fair price to compensate the league for intellectual property and its role in preventing fixing scandals.
Changes could be coming soon to the one-and-done system, with more players opting to enter the G League rather than going to college for one season. “If you have, in essence, college saying, ‘We don’t want these players,’ it would be hard for us not to respond,” Silver said.
After another year filled with significant player injuries, the NBA will continue to study the benefits of a shorter season, but Silver said action is unlikely without data showing that a 72- or 75-game slate would resolve the problem.
Despite interest from Seattle and other cities in acquiring an NBA franchise, Silver indicated expansion won’t be coming soon, tweets Ben Golliver of Sport Illustrated. “Expansion is not on our agenda right now,” the commissioner said. “… I’m very focused on creating a competitive 30-team league right now… [Our focus is]: What is it we can do system-wise, training-wise to create more competition within this league?”

And-Ones: Silver, Cuban, NBPA, Coaching Changes

May 14th, 2018 at 9:32pm CST by Dana Gauruder

A New York resident was arrested for sending a threatening email to NBA commissioner Adam Silver, Steve Gardner of USA Today relays via a New York Post report. David Pyant, who has served to time for robbery and has 13 prior arrests, sent the email to Silver last summer. He was charged with aggravated harassment for threatening to shoot Silver if he wasn’t allowed to play in the NBA.

In other NBA-related news:

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban believes the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down the sports gambling ban will be a boon to sports owners, AJ Neuharth-Keusch of USA Today reports. Cuban made the comments in a CNBC interview. “I think everybody who owns a top four professional sports team just basically saw the value of their team double, at least,” Cuban said, adding “I think this is something that benefits everybody.” The Supreme Court issued its decision on Monday.
The Players’ Association will “work to ensure our players’ rights are protected and promoted” now that states beyond Nevada can take legal sports bets, Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal tweets. The NBPA issued a brief statement on the issue, saying it would work with other sports players’ unions to reach that goal.
Impatience from owners and GMs has led to the head coaching carousel currently going on in the NBA, Spencer Davies of Basketball Insiders opines. It takes more than three or four years to build toward a championship, Davies continues, citing the Sixers’ Brett Brown as a prime example. Knee-jerk decisions from teams that take baby steps but don’t take a full step forward are misguided, Davies adds.

U.S. Supreme Court Overturns Sports Gambling Ban

May 14th, 2018 at 11:41am CST by Luke Adams

11:41am: Adam Silver has issued a statement in response to the Supreme Court’s decision, as our Chris Crouse tweets.

“Today’s decision by the Supreme Court opens the door for states to pass laws legalizing sports betting,” Silver said. “We remain in favor of a federal framework that would provide a uniform approach to sports gambling in states that choose to permit it, but we will remain active in ongoing discussions with state legislatures. Regardless of the particulars of any future sports betting law, the integrity of our game remains our highest priority.”

9:30am: The United States Supreme Court has voted in favor of overturning a federal ban on sports gambling, tweets ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. The full decision from the Supreme Court can be found right here.

As Windhorst details (via Twitter), the ruling states that Congress will have the power to regulate sports gambling directly, but if it elects not to do so, each U.S. state is free to make its own laws, which is the expected outcome.

The Supreme Court’s decision came in response to a case brought by the state of New Jersey, which is now one of four states prepared to institute laws for legalized sports betting. The other three states are West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Mississippi, according to Windhorst, who adds that about 20 other states are in line to follow suit.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver has been a proponent of legalized sports betting for several years. As Michael Scotto of The Athletic detailed last week, Silver is aware that hundreds of billions of dollars are being bet illegally on the NBA, and feels it’s in the league’s best interest to have a voice in how that betting is regulated. As we noted earlier this year, the NBA also reportedly wants to receive a 1% share of each bet placed on one of its games.

“One of our issues is that because we are the producers of this intellectual property, the NBA will spend $7.5 billion this year creating this product, and because we’re going to have all these additional costs involving integrity we should be compensated in some way for the use of our property,” Silver said recently, per Scotto.

While it remains to be seen exactly how the NBA – and other sports leagues – will get involved in legalized betting and how each U.S. state will handle it, today’s Supreme Court decision could signal a landmark shift in how many fans consume and engage with sports.

For more on what today’s decision means, check out an FAQ from David Purdum and Ryan Rodenberg of ESPN.com.

And-Ones: Tanking, Henderson, Revenue Sharing

April 14th, 2018 at 3:51pm CST by clarkcrum

Despite the actions taken by NBA commissioner Adam Silver this season, tanking still seems to be an issue throughout the NBA, as the system rewards teams for finishing as low as possible in the final standings. Asked about the problem yesterday, Silver stated, “I find it an incredibly difficult issue,” reports Brian Mahoney of The Associated Press.

And while Silver hopes that new rules implemented next season will take some of the incentive of tanking away – the three worst teams will all have a 14 percent chance at the top pick – Silver realizes that the new rules may very well fall short of their intended purpose.

“We recognize that our goal is to put the best competition on the floor and it’s balanced against legitimate rebuilding of some teams. But I know we’re not there yet… I recognize that the incentives are not aligned right now that there’s a huge incentive to increase your chances in the draft lottery especially in the old system. As I’ve said we’re switching the system for next year we’ll see how much of an impact that has.”

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Stan Van Gundy echoes the sentiment that tanking is a serious issue, writes K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. “We have about 10 teams that have gone out of their way to try to ensure they have a better chance to lose,” Van Gundy said. “To me, the essence of sports is two teams playing against each other trying to win… To me, it’s a lack of integrity in your league and lack of respect for your fans.”
Former lottery selection Gerald Henderson plans to make a return to the court next season after a hip injury sidelined him for the 2017/18 campaign, reports Bryan Kalbrosky of HoopsHype. Now over seven months removed from surgery, Henderson says he is cleared for all basketball activities and is working himself back into shape.
During yesterday’s NBA Board of Governors meeting, the board voted to extend the league’s current revenue sharing plan, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. And while the tweaks are complex, the changes will only end up affecting one or two teams in a significant manner, adds Zach Lowe of ESPN.

Southwest Notes: Spurs, Leonard, Mavericks, Evans

March 8th, 2018 at 8:09pm CST by clarkcrum

The Spurs have made the playoffs every year for the past 20 seasons and won five titles along the way, but as Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer writes, the NBA’s model franchise is in the midst of its worst season since 1996/97 – Tim Duncan‘s senior season at Wake Forest – and is in serious danger of missing the playoffs.

The Spurs have the NBA’s toughest remaining schedule, with two games left against the Rockets, Warriors, Pelicans, Thunder, and Wizards. Add in the fact that the team is 2-8 over its last 10 games and only 2.5 games ahead of the eight, ninth, and tenth place teams in the Western Conference, and one can see why fans in San Antonio may have reason to worry for the first time in two decades.

Here’s more from around the Southwest Division:

In more positive Spurs‘ news, Michael C. Wright of ESPN is citing a highly knowledgeable source who tells him that Kawhi Leonard is working hard and putting himself through some “insane” workouts in an effort to return to action as quickly as possible.
In a Q&A session, columnist Kevin Sherrington of The Dallas Morning News answered some questions on Mavericks‘ owner Mark Cuban and whether NBA commissioner Adam Silver would step in and force Cuban to sell the team a la current Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson or former Clippers owner Donald Sterling.
Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News is reporting that Mavericks‘ swingman Dorian Finney-Smith is expected to return to action this weekend for the first time since injuring his left knee/quadriceps in early November.
The Grizzlies are being cautious with Tyreke Evans‘ recovery from a rib injury, writes Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal. Evans, who has been out since late February, remains day-to-day and will not play against the Jazz tomorrow night.

Latest On NBA’s Efforts To Adjust One-And-Done Rules

March 5th, 2018 at 11:11am CST by Luke Adams

Since 2005, the NBA has required players entering the league’s draft pool to be at least 19 years old or at least one year removed from high school. However, with commissioner Adam Silver leading the way, the NBA is once again preparing to get involved with elite high school prospects, sources tell ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.

According to Windhorst, the league’s plan isn’t simply to revert to the old rules for draft eligibility. Instead, the NBA wants to establish relationships with elite high school prospects early, helping them develop both on and off the court. When those prospects graduate from high school, there would then be a non-NCAA path to earning a salary right away, either from an NBA team or via “an enhanced option” in the G League, sources tell Windhorst. Essentially, the league doesn’t want to open up the draft to 18-year-olds without giving those youngsters more tools to help them succeed.

The plan is still in development, and Silver likely won’t formally put a proposal on the table until after the Commission on College Basketball presents a report this spring, Windhorst writes. Still, with LeBron James, Stan Van Gundy, and former president Barack Obama among the noteworthy voices taking aim recently at the NCAA, the NBA wants to find a way to adjust its one-and-done rules to benefit future NBA players — and the league would like to implement some changes before the current Collective Bargaining Agreement is up in 2024.

“We are looking at changing the relationship we have with players before they reach the NBA,” a high-ranking league official told Windhorst. “This is a complex challenge, and there’s still a lot of discussion about how it’s going to happen, but we all see the need to step in.”

According to Windhorst, there has been some discussion about the idea of establishing basketball academies within the United States to house and train some of the country’s best high school basketball players. However, the NBA prefers not to go that route, instead exploring ways to get in touch with those prospects while they’re playing in high school — that way, the league could bring in experts to teach high-level prospects about “training methods, recovery, nutrition and life skills,” in addition to preparing them for the on-court aspect of the professional game.

Be sure to check out Windhorst’s report in full, as it include more details and quotes on potential routes for the NBA.

Adam Silver