The most interesting event of Saturday afternoon local time in Los Angeles, minus Damian Lillard’s three-point shooting contest victory and at least a couple of save-the-game dunks by Keshad Johnson and Carter Bryant in an otherwise depressing dunk contest, and in an Intuit Dome empty of at least half the seats, was the NBA Commissioner Adam Silver‘s press conference.
And Silver on the defensivewhich makes extensive use of its lawyer (he’s a lawyer, after all) and that perhaps he’s starting to feel less consolidates his positionespecially in terms of esteem and authority, at the helm of the NBA and as its CEO. Tanking, riforme della draft lottery and the usual refrain of the 32-team expansion which has been talked about for years but which makes no progresstogether with caso Clippers-Aspiration (just mentioned, there is no mention of rope in the hanged man’s house) and a notice to the parties in the negotiation for the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement between the WNBA and the union from the playersand topics.
Before the break for All-Star Weekend, the NBA had decided to fine the Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers respectively 500 thousand and 100 thousand dollars for infringement of participation policy of the league in at least three recent games. In fact therefore for tankingfor having discreetly wanted to field teams that were not the most competitive possible. A measure that first and foremost created a previousinfuriated the Jazz and Pacers and attracted criticism of those who reminded Silver that every year there are teams that behave exactly like Utah and Indiana did, and who were not fined.
From here Adam Silver continued: “Do I think we are seeing worse behavior this year than in the past? Yes, that’s what I see. And it is this criterion that led to those fines and to my statement in which I say that from now on we will look with more attention at the totality of cases and circumstances, at the behavior of the teams. And I want to make that clear“.
Silver also spoke about hypothetical draft lottery reforms and of draft. “The NBA is 80 years old, it’s time to think about whether these types of institutions have become antiquated. What we need is a system that distributes players, because equality and competitive balance are in the interest of both players and fans (…) we need to think of something new because what is there now is not working. There is every possible remedy on the table to put an end to this trend” talking about tanking.
“Even if we have a draft lottery, if there are teams that still manipulate their performances to increase their chances, then the question arises: are the teams that will have the highest picks really the worst ones? What is no longer clear in my opinion is that the 30th team is actually worse than the 22nd, if at the base there is an inventiveness to lose to grab the best possible choice“And here Silver makes it clear that one solution it will have to be shared: “We are a community that must act in the best interests of all. My job is to remind all parties that I understand what your plans are in the short term, but also that we must not lose sight of who is watching, the fans. Who are the ones who support the NBA day in and day out“.
L’All-Star Game NBA 2026 is being played at the home of the LA Clippers e di Steve Ballmerwhile franchise and owner are under internal investigation of the league for a possible case of infringement of salary rules. The Clippers are suspected of having circumvented NBA rules by procuring between 2021 and 2022 through a sponsor – a now bankrupt company, Aspiration – and endorsement contract for Kawhi Leonard who, however, has never carried out any promotional activity for the brand. Contract that would be served through a triangulation to pay Leonard sums extra on his contract with the Clippers, and “sheltered” from salary rules and the luxury tax. Between 2021 and 2022 Ballmer and his partner Dennis Wong would have paid a Aspirationalready in crisis, untilto 50 million dollars to guarantee liquidityand the suspicion is that these sums were also used to guarantee That Aspiration would honor the payments due to Leonard. The company is bankrupt in 2025 and former CEO Joseph Sanberg pleaded guilty to fraudulent bankruptcythe Clippers claim to be among the victims of the scam but the league’s investigation is still ongoing.
“It’s a very complex case. There is a bankrupt company and thousands of documents, many witnesses and many depositions and testimonies to collect. What I can say is that the fact that we are here today (to Los Angeles to “home” of the Clippers, ed.) it will have no impact on timing. We have engaged the Watchell law firm to conclude its investigation and come back to us with its recommendations on the case. And we are still at this point” explained Adam Silver, without adding anything new to what is already known.
Silver dedicated an important passage to negotiations between the WNBA, teams and the WNBPA union of the players for the renewal of the collective bargaining agreementwhich expired in January. Without renewing the 2026 WNBA season risks cancellingand the negotiation continues but with difficultyand above all again distances between the league’s proposals and the players’ priorities on wages, income inequality e benefit such as more comfortable travel and transfers.
“I take this opportunity here to put pressure on all parties involved. Often in negotiations like these an agreement is only found at the last moment, and well, I think we are approaching the last moment. But I am encouraged by the progress made in the last two weeks” said the commissioner “I will play whatever role is as productive as possible. I think we should push for the next step and not lose the momentum of incredible progress like women’s basketball“.
The WNBA it is at the moment closedthe players they have a strike was hypothesized in case of all-out negotiations but they are still said available to negotiate until the last possible moment. And in the meantime, either we foreign leagues are involved or in the two “winter” leagues Unrivaled and Athletes Unlimited.
date: 2026-02-15 14:03:00