Not A Fan Of Durant Deal, Says NBA Commissioner
Many basketball fans around the nation were unhappy with Kevin Durant’s decision to join the Golden State Warriors and create the NBA’s latest “super team.” Surprisingly, a very prominent figure has publicly stated he is also not a fan of the Durant deal, and that is NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
According to Newsweek, Silver spoke on the issue after the recent NBA board of governors meeting held in Las Vegas.
“I do not think that’s ideal from the league standpoint. We all knew all this money was going to come into the system and many of these things could have happened.”
“The fact that it’s now in front of us and we’re looking at how the money is being paid out and we see a particular player move, yes, without suggesting I’m negotiating, there’s no question that those are things that will be discussed in future meetings with the players’ association.”
“I absolutely respect his decision, once he becomes a free agent, to make a choice that’s available to him. In this particular case, he operated 100 percent within the way of the system, and the same with Golden State.
“In a way, the good news is that we are in a collective bargaining cycle, so it gives everybody an opportunity — owners and the union — to sit down behind closed doors and take a fresh look at the system and see if there is a better way that we can do it. My belief is we can make it better.”
In a world where rhetoric is carefully chosen, particularly by those in positions of power, this is an honest (not to mention bold) position that has been shared by the commissioner.
Adam Silver kept it ? when asked about super teams pic.twitter.com/AKkLlfFfel
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 13, 2016
Many others have spoken out against super teams and the Durant move in particular, including ex-NBA greats Charles Barkley and Reggie Miller, as detailed by the Inquisitr. The whole notion of building ultra-talented teams via free agency has met with widespread criticism with the exception of the chosen few who benefit from such scenarios.
The Sporting News reports that Adam Silver is aware of the perception that the NBA wants to see super teams created because it tends to be good for TV ratings. While a jump in television ratings is good for the league, Silver insists that overall, the existence of super teams is not desirable.
The NBA’s first taste of this phenomenon came in 2010 when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh joined forces in Miami. That team went to four consecutive NBA Finals, winning in 2012 and 2013. LeBron James left the team to return to Cleveland in 2014, which left Miami out of the playoffs with a 37-45 record in 2014-15.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=gmWGsxQ8tlM
The NBA’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement runs through 2021, but the players’ union or the league can opt out of the deal as long as notification is given by December 15, 2016. Based on recent events, it seems likely that there will be negotiations for a new CBA coming within the next few months, per ESPN.
The NBA, as well as other professional sports leagues, have various rules in place to promote fair competition and parity. The NBA Draft, for example, gives the weakest teams the opportunity to draft first. This system helps keep the league balanced in terms of overall talent and has generally worked well over the years.
Adam Silver is now on record stating that he is not a fan of Durant’s deal with the Warriors. What do you think of Durant signing with Golden State and super teams in general?
[Photo by Sue Ogrocki/AP Images]
