Adam Silver rules out ‘relegation’ system in the NBA

In an interview with ESPN’s Malika Andrews on ‘NBA Today,’ NBA commissioner Adam Silver said he believes the changes the league has made have greatly reduced the “tanking” for teams to pursue NBA prospects. high-profile, including French phenom Victor Wembanyama. In addition, he does not contemplate the relegation system, similar to soccer, in the near future.

“You’re dealing with a 14% chance of getting the first pick,” Silver said. “I recognize that, at the end of the day, the analysis is what it is and it’s not about superstition. A 14% probability is better than a 1% probability or a 0% probability. But even in terms of direct probabilities, it doesn’t benefit a team to be the absolute worst team in the league, and even if you’re one of the underperforming teams, you still have a 14% chance [de ganar la lotería]”.

“It’s one of those things where there’s no perfect solution, but we still believe a draft is the right way to rebuild your league over time,” he added.

Last week, Silver spoke with Phoenix Suns employees in the wake of the investigation’s findings into team owner Robert Sarver’s conduct over the past two decades and his eventual decision to sell his stock in both the Suns and Phoenix Suns. on the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury. ESPN’s Baxter Holmes reported that Silver said the NBA had previously discussed the idea of ​​”relegation” as a possible solution to give teams an incentive to compete.

But as part of his interview Monday afternoon, Silver said there is no realistic way to implement such a system in the NBA.

“I can’t say I took relegation very seriously, because we don’t have the same system as European football and it wouldn’t make sense to send an NBA team to the G League or a G League team to the NBA.”

“Obviously, that’s how other leagues deal with situations like this, where they force teams to stay competitive because the consequences of finishing bottom of the league are dramatically detrimental to team health,” Silver said.

Regarding another hot topic in NBA circles these days, the prospect of expansion, Silver joked that “the word spread fast” when Lebron James he said earlier this month that he hoped one day to be part of the group that owns an expansion team in Las Vegas.

But while Silver said expansion will be on the table again in the future, he reiterated his earlier stance that the league wants to move past upcoming collective bargaining discussions with the National Players Association.

Meanwhile, one thing on Silver’s mind is the situation of WNBA star Brittney Griner, who remains in custody in Russia. Silver noted that after the NBA was initially told not to pay more attention to Griner’s story, he and the league have been doing everything they can to try to bring her back to the United States.

Commissioner Adam Silver says the NBA has “had direct conversations with the White House, with the State Department” on Brittney Griner. From Monday on NBA Today: pic.twitter.com/pnJxqwxBjQ

— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) October 25, 2022

“[Nosotros] we have been very public about our belief that she deserves to be released at this time,” Silver said. “Even to the extent that she was convicted of a misdemeanor, any punishment at this point is dramatically disproportionate.”

“But beyond that, it’s frustrating for everyone, it’s hugely frustrating for his family, but I’m not sure what else we could be doing right now.”

As for why Silver was in Phoenix talking to Suns employees, he added that he understood that having a system that, in part, requires employees to call an anonymous tip line “isn’t going to work for everyone. He added that there should be an emphasis on training and ongoing dialogue with team employees to ensure the right climate exists within NBA teams.

“One of the things we started doing this year is having direct conversations with the HR groups on each team to make sure the proper training is in place.”

“Our goal is to operate under best practices, not just for the NBA or for a sports league, but for the best in class in the industries, and that’s something we’re learning all the time, and we have professionals focused on that.” , sentenced.