If we’re talking about forward thinking in terms of a professional league, Adam Silver and the NBA are at the top of the list. He’s always listening to fans, the NBA Player’s Union, owners and tweaking the current league to make it fun and more entertaining for everyone. Silver cares about the overall product and popularity of the sport.
Within the past few years, traction on changing playoff format has seriously picked up steam, with people suggesting the Top 16 teams in the league make it to the playoffs, instead of the Top 8 in the Western Conference and Top 8 in the Eastern Conference.
Although he was asked a question a bit different than what he answered during an NBA All-Star press conference, Silver spoke on this subject and said he doesn’t want to stay in the current format because of tradition, but rather because of travel.
He wouldn’t mind changing the format that the NBA has right now, but there are more factors to take into consideration with making such a big change. For one, strength of schedule would have to change, as well the length of the current NBA season to allow that. In his answer, it sounds like those changes are getting closer than ever.
Not to mention the fact he said, “it sounds like we’re having a televised draft next year” when talking to Ramona Shelbourne about the All-Star game. The media, fans and players have spoken out and he’s listening.
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