Since taking over as NBA commissioner last season, Adam Silver has proven he’ll consider anything. In a press conference on Friday, Silver said one of the more radical ideas NBA owners had mulled over was a play-in tournament for the playoffs, although nothing is imminent.
NBA may consider a playoff play-in tournament in the future
The NBA already sends 16 teams to the playoffs, but that number may increase at some point in the future. However, the proposal is in its early stages and wouldn’t be implemented anytime soon.
The NBA also will not be modifying their current NBA lottery system, something under much discussion of late due to an national focus on teams at the bottom of the league tanking.
There has also been a growing push to abandon conferences, since the imbalance between the East and West is stronger than ever this season and shows no signs of letting up. Silver called talks about changing the current playoff format “inconclusive.”
The lottery was expected to undergo changes earlier this year in a proposal that would have spread out the odds at the No. 1 pick more evenly among the top six teams. However, NBA owners surprisingly rejected it. More elaborate proposals, such as a lottery wheel, will have to wait for now.
Silver also announced changes to NBA scheduling starting next season, something he has talked about since taking over as commissioner. The league will consider reducing the preseason back-to-backs to 16, further reducing situations where teams play four games in five nights.
When asked about an altercation two Hawks players recently had with the NYPD, Silver said this:
Silver says of Thabo arrest: "What we all saw on that video doesn’t speak to justification (for injury)." Says withholding judgment for now.
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) April 17, 2015 See More:
