Before the NBA earned the status of the second-most successful league in the world, the association was on the verge of disbanding. However, in 1984, David Stern stepped into the role of NBA Commissioner and changed the trajectory of the league. In 2014, Stern’s successor, Adam Silver took over as commissioner and has been at the helm since. Despite his constant attempts to bring innovation to the league, many believe he has yet to live up to Stern. NBA legend Scottie Pippen believes Silver is missing a crucial trait from being on the same level as his predecessor.
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Pippen made a guest appearance on the PBD Podcast hosted by Patrick Bet-David. During their conversation, the two began discussing the issues regarding the current landscape of the NBA. Pippen’s explanation for the difference in tone compared to eras in the past has to do with Silver’s approach as commissioner. He said,
“I felt like David Stern era he ran the game. I think Adam Silver’s era, he’s more or less allowing the players to have some input in terms of how the rules of the game are changing. It looks like it’s pretty bad right now.”
Stern lived up to his last name in his approach as NBA commissioner. He didn’t tolerate behaviors that didn’t align with his vision for the NBA, instilling fear and respect among the players. An example is his harsh punishment for the ‘Malice in the Palace’. Pacers star Ron Artest received a season-long suspension for his actions, and Stephen Jackson was sidelined for 30 games.
On the other hand, Silver is more player-focused. The athlete has more power in dictating the future of the league along with their individual future. Pippen is within the demographic that believes this is bad for the league and has affected the level of play. This has impacted many areas which has ruined the game, but players not playing is one of the main reasons according to the Hall-of-Famer.
Players are taking advantage of the NBA’s intentions
Silver and the NBA have made it a point of emphasis to prioritize player health in the league. Their efforts have included eliminating as many back-to-backs as possible for the players. Pippen believes this is a great precautionary measure.
However, some players are avoiding suiting up for the remaining back-to-backs which the seven-time All-Star believes is bad for the league. “I think from a standpoint of players being healthy those are some precautionary measures that they’ve taken in the game where players don’t like to play back to back,” Pippen said.
During Pippen’s era, players took pride in playing every game and putting on a show for the fans. However, it feels that many players today are content with the money they’re earning and sitting out. The NBA has a real issue involving the ratings, and hope to solve that problem as soon as possible. According to Scottie Pippen, Adam Silver’s actions have enabled the players to lose the grit they one had.
