The scenario in which teams negotiate around the NBA has changed a lot since last year, especially after the latest collective bargaining agreement was approved. For example, soon after the Clippers lost All-Star Paul George to the 76ers in free agency, the franchise cited it was due to “the constraints of the new CBA.”
This agreement reached back in 2023 hoped to build restrictions for teams that spent too much budget into their luxury tax, which blew past what is referred to as the “second apron.” Same thing happened not too long ago with the Nuggets losing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and now the Lakers are anticipating the same difficulties.
“We’re now in the apron world,” general manager Rob Pelinka said two weeks ago. “We’ve seen contending teams or championship-level teams have to lose players. That’s a result of the apron world we’re living in. So, does it make trades more challenging? Yes. Does it make good trades impossible? No.”
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This is why league commissioner Adam Silver decided to attend the press after the NBA’s board of governors meetings in Las Vegas, to defend the latest rules and how team building must change for the best.
“What I’m hearing from teams, even as the second apron is moving to kick in, the teams are realizing there are real teeth in those provisions,” he started out. “I don’t know how to view this, but I know reports have come out that the summer was boring from a fan standpoint. I don’t certainly think it was. We still saw a lot of critically important players moving from one team to another as free agents.”
The NBA executive believes this will eventually turn out in everyone’s best interest. “But at the same time, I think this new system, while I don’t want it to be boring, I want to put teams in a position, 30 teams, to better compete. I think we’re on our way to doing that,” Silver assured.
Adam even suggested that the plan is already starting to work, as the league has enjoyed six different champions in the past six years, but downplayed that the NBA is trying to limit potential dynasties.
“As long as we can create something close to a level playing field in terms of the tools available to teams to compete, I’m absolutely fine with dynasties and I’m fine with new teams emerging every year,” the commissioner said.
Silver called “bittersweet” the fact that the Celtics owners have announced that the franchise is up for sale, especially after recent successes on-and-off the court
The league executive took the time to attend various topics, including franchise expansions and the new media rights deal. But in talks about managing NBA clubs, he regretted the news given by Boston governor Wyc Grousbeck, who announced that the Celtics would be up for sale.
Silver believes he has been a positive model to many owners across the league. “He’s been a leader in terms of our committee system at our board. He’s been intimately involved in every aspect of the league, from collective bargaining to revenue sharing to media,” he said.
After calling it “bittersweet,” he showed empathy for personal and familiar situations that might be affecting the Boston ownership, and hopes whoever takes charge will pursue the same philosophy imposed by Grousbeck.
“I understand the family circumstances and why he and his family have elected at this moment to sell the franchise. I’m frankly saddened by it, just because not only have they won two championships, but beyond that they’ve operated the team in a first-class manner and he’s been a first-class owner in this league,” Silver added.
