David Stern retires: NBA commish announces plan to step down in 2014

While the world will stop to fete David Stern when he leaves his position as NBA commissioner on Feb. 1, 2014, the actual business of the NBA will not pause. The $4 billion business is a machine for which crises are matter of fact, and Stern won’t be short of major decisions over the next 15 months. Neither will Adam Silver get a free pass in his early days: he will meet immediate, constant challenges.

The biggest labor issues, specifically the potential expiration of the current collective bargaining agreement with players, won’t be a major problem before or immediately after Stern’s retirement. Either owners or players can opt out of the deal in 2017; expect to start hearing the rattle of sabres at the 2016 All-Star Game, Silver’s third. But the issues on the front burner are pretty serious, too.

This morning, CBS Sports’ Ken Berger sent an ominous note from the NBA Owners’ meetings. “CBS Sports has learned that a target date for David Stern’s retirement has been a major topic in owners’ meetings the past two days in NYC. Multiple league sources say a specific retirement timeline and succession plan are being seriously discussed.”

A few hours later, Yahoo!‘s Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news: NBA Commissioner David Stern will officially step down on February 1st, 2014. So that’s how it happened. That’s how we found out the most successful commissioner of all time was leaving the NBA. Now, we’re left with a handful of questions.

Come on, person who edited Adam Silver’s Wikipedia page. This is the best you could do? (Click to enlarge).

Why not say that Adam Silver is the Grim Reaper that is going to destroy everything that is great about the NBA? Go big or go home.

It’s now official: David Stern will be stepping down as NBA commissioner on February 1, 2014. Glen Taylor, the outgoing chairman of the NBA Board of Governors, officially made the announcement to media members in a press conference.

“Commissioner Stern has informed the board that he is stepping down as commissioner. The date selected was Feb. 1, 2014,” Taylor announced.

David Stern will step down as NBA commissioner on February 1, 2014 and will be replaced by deputy commissioner Adam Silver, the NBA Board of Governors announced today.

Stern took over as commissioner in 1984 and is entering his 29th season as the top executive in the NBA, the longest current tenure among the top four professional sports organizations.

NBA commissioner David Stern is expected to tell NBA owners in April that he will retire at the end of the 2013-14 season, according to a report by Mitch Lawrence in the New York Daily News. Lawrence cites “insiders” who say Stern originally planned to retire at the end of 2013, but has since changed his mind.

But what hasn’t changed is the NBA’s succession plan: Stern lieutenant Adam Silver is the overwhelming favorite to be elevated to commissioner once Stern leaves.