NBA commissioner Adam Silver recently floated the idea of shortening games from 12-minute quarters to 10. Based on the reactions he’s been getting, it’s clear the idea has not gone over well. Nick Young joined the Gil’s Arena podcast this week to discuss the proposed change, and he was strongly against it.
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Young asked about Silver’s contract situation, implying that the NBA needed a change of leadership. It’s clear he doesn’t agree with the commissioner’s ideas for the league, and wants to know how much longer he’ll be in charge.
“How long is his contract? Man… He’s trying to do too much now.”
Others on the show were in agreement, talking about how Silver has massively changed so many things about the game in recent years. Brandon Jennings seemed exasperated that Silver was trying to change yet another thing.
“My thing is they’re trying to change everything already. So to me it’s like OK, they’re trying to change the way you can win MVP, the way the All-Star Game is, the in-season tournament, everything is changing.”
Rashad McCants jokingly (we hope?) said that the NBA should bring back former commissioner David Stern. Stern unfortunately passed away five years ago, and McCants went on to blast the job Silver has done since taking over for Stern.
“Ever since Adam Silver done took over, this s*** been in the dumps.”
McCants’ statement seems harsh given that the NBA has been second only to the NFL in popularity in this country since Silver took over. Franchise valuations and sale prices are higher than ever, as are player contracts thanks to the lucrative TV deals that Silver helped broker.
Not every move has been a proverbial slam dunk, but it’s better to have a commissioner who is proactive about keeping the sport relevant and entertaining than one who sticks with the status quo and falls behind the times.
Adam Silver has been the most progressive commissioner in sports
Silver’s changes have been met with a mixed reception. The requirement that players must play 65 games or more to be eligible for postseason awards was made with good intentions as it sought to limit the load management epidemic, but many have been critical of taking choices away from voters due to an arbitrary number.
The NBA Cup has been a big success, and the play-in tournament seems to have been accepted for the most part. We’ll find out what people think of the new All-Star Game format once they see it in action in mid-February.
Silver talked about how shortening the quarters to 10 minutes would provide a better viewing experience for people watching from home, and in that regard, he’s probably right. Fewer and fewer people are willing to be glued to the TV for long these days, not with their attention being diverted by their phones.
Shortening games would also reduce wear and tear on players’ bodies, but probably far less than reducing the number of games in the season, an idea that has been proposed by many but is unlikely to ever happen due to the reduction in revenue that would accompany it.
Silver admitted that the 10-minute quarters idea was a dramatic change that would need to be talked about more over time, and he likely dropped it on The Dan Patrick Show to get fans talking and gauge people’s reactions. If that was his intention, it’s certainly had the desired effect.
NBA fans don’t always agree with Silver’s decisions, but the man deserves credit for always trying to make the league a better product.
