NBA commissioner Adam Silver addresses the media following the Board of Governors meeting in New York City.<\/p>\n
With the regular season only five weeks away, and with training camps and preseason games booked between now and then, NBA commissioner Adam Silver understandably is excited for what\u2019s to come.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t remember a season where the competition was as hotly anticipated as this year,\u201d Silver said Tuesday at a news conference after this week\u2019s Board of Governors meetings. \u201cThere are so many good teams, so many interesting situations out there. \u2026 I can\u2019t wait for the season to start.\u201d<\/p>\n
First, however, there was leftover and ongoing business to address, including questions about the penalties imposed on the Los Angeles Clippers in the Kawhi Leonard salary cap circumvention case. The media session in midtown Manhattan at the end of the two-day BOG event was the first time reporters could seek details from the commissioner.<\/p>\n
For instance, Silver was asked how the Clippers\u2019 punishment \u2013 suspensions to owner Steve Ballmer, president of business operations Gillian Zucker and general manager Lawrence Frank, a $30 million fine and five forfeited future first-round draft picks \u2013 was determined to be neither too harsh nor too light.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s in some ways the most difficult part of adjudicating these disputes,\u201d the commissioner said, \u201cbecause while there have to be competitive consequences, our view, if these rules are violated, we still want to be a 30-team league.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe recognize that in some ways we\u2019re unfortunately punishing the fans of that team as well. That\u2019s the balance we\u2019re trying to seek. I don\u2019t think in any way we\u2019ve done permanent damage to this franchise.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hammer the offending team too much and it might flat-line in the standings for a decade or more. Go too easy and neither it nor an ambitious rival from among the other 29 might be deterred from similarly cheating again.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo question, this is a setback for the team,\u201d Silver said. \u201cThe ultimate goal in terms of these type of sanctions is to ensure that other teams don\u2019t engage in this type of behavior in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n
In penalizing the Clippers for arranging endorsement deals for Leonard as a prohibited work-around to the league\u2019s salary cap, the NBA used the precedent of Minnesota\u2019s illegal contracts with Joe Smith back in 2000. That same precedent could be invoked again, if the NBA were to modify the punishment: the Timberwolves eventually had two of their five stripped picks rebated for dropping any legal challenges and complying with the verdict.<\/p>\n
Said Silver: \u201cPutting aside the precise words he chose to use, most importantly he indicated a willingness to accept the league\u2019s decision in this case and the accompanying sanctions.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur plan is to move forward. Every reason to believe that at the end of the year [suspension] he\u2019ll return to be an owner in good standing.\u201d<\/p>\n
The commissioner dismissed a suggestion that similar illicit side deals might exist with other players and teams. \u201cI\u2019ve had lots of conversations with general managers, team presidents, owners as to the kind of conduct that goes on,\u201d he said. \u201cWe know around the lines there\u2019s been slippage over the years, but nothing of this nature that I\u2019m aware of.\u201d<\/p>\n
As always, the BOG agenda included a variety of topics, most of which Silver touched on in taking questions from the media:<\/p>\n
Expansion inches closer for Las Vegas, Seattle<\/p>\n
There was enthusiasm in the boardroom for Las Vegas and either a renovated T-Mobile Arena or what Silver called a new \u201cmodern entertainment palace.\u201d He added: \u201cIt\u2019s a unique market where you could truly see essentially 365-day-a-year activity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Seattle got less attention at this week\u2019s meetings only because it\u2019s arena situation is more solidified. Silver reaffirmed the NBA\u2019s goal to reach an expansion decision by the end of 2026.<\/p>\n
NBA Europe on track for next summer<\/p>\n
Silver said the NBA continues to negotiate with the EuroLeague about partnering in the new endeavor. But he said some version of NBA Europe would begin play in 2027 regardless.<\/p>\n
Despite all the complexity of a start-up league overseas, Silver said: \u201cWe want to get going. \u2026 There will be announcements [on markets and franchises] coming over the next few months.\u201d<\/p>\n
Uncertainty around the Trail Blazers\u2019 arena<\/p>\n
A standoff between the city of Portland and team owner Tom Dundon has some fans nervous that the franchise might seek to relocate. Silver deftly avoided taking a side, talking about the importance for Dundon and public officials to reach an agreement for a \u201cstate-of-the-art arena.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s my hope that we can lower the temperature honestly a bit in these negotiations,\u201d he said. Silver said he spoke at length with Dundon this week in New York and knows the Blazers owner consulted with other team owners about their similar civic negotiations.<\/p>\n
Silver added: \u201cI would see it as a failure if we did not keep the team in Portland.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tanenbaum out, Arison in<\/p>\n
This BOG session was the last with Toronto\u2019s Larry Tanenbaum as chairman, who held the post for nine years. Miami\u2019s Micky Arison now assumes that role.<\/p>\n
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