The NBA is preparing for its All-Star break later this month. While the rest is good for players, coaches, and fans it also gives the league a chance to fix a problem that has plagued them all year — declining viewership. In 2025, ratings have plummeted 25% lower than the 2023-2024 season and are down 48% overall since 2012. Whether it’s the game’s evolution into a three-point shooting contest or the lack of action in the paint, fans are not tuning in like they used to. However, Luka Doncic getting traded to the Los Angeles Lakers may be the NBA’s best move to get them back.
Advertisement
Nick Kelland, the Chief Strategy Officer at Forever Network, believes that Doncic going to the Lakers to team with LeBron is going to give the NBA the ratings boost it needs. Kelland boldly predicts that local NBA viewership could go up 50% thanks to the Slovenian superstar relocating and 20% nationally.
Not only that, but Kelland compares the Doncic trade to other seismic shifts in the NBA landscape such as LeBron going to the Miami Heat or Kevin Durant going to the Warriors. Both those moves grew viewership between 30-100% in the local markets and 20-25% nationally at the time they happened.
Historic level NBA trades (LeBron —> MIA/CLE, KD —> GSW) spiked local TV ratings for the NBA from 30-100% according to estimates. National ratings lifted by 20-25%.
— NickX (@NickXGOG) February 5, 2025
Kelland’s prediction certainly lines up with what many have been thinking about the massive trade between the Mavs and Lakers. It’s no secret that a large reason for why sports are followed as religiously as they are is due to their ‘soap opera’ nature. The Doncic-Davis trade is perhaps the most dramatic event to have taken place in league history. So, the NBA shouldn’t be shocked to see a massive spike in ratings as fans tune to to watch two first team All-NBA players navigate their way through two new teams.
A huge fan theory is that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver allowed the monumental deal to go through just to save the NBA’s declining viewership. Well, if Kelland’s predictions are even remotely close, the league will rebound to numbers that are worthy of praise.
Did Adam Silver mastermind the Luka Doncic trade?
The Dallas Mavericks did receive Anthony Davis in exchange for Luka Doncic, as well as some draft picks for the NBA draft later this summer. However, fans flooded social media and spoke about Silver being a grand conspirator who orchestrated the trade to help the league’s declining viewership.
adam silver made the call that they needed a new face of the league and volunteered doncic
— zee (@zee_gpt) February 5, 2025
conspiracy theory.
NBA ratings are at all time low
Adam Silver saw Doncic & Tatum debates in the ‘24 finals
League needs ratings up so does an under the table deal with mavs owners
Wants to bring back old school Lakers vs Celtics rivalry to save league like Bird & Magic did https://t.co/FZIV56yF5p
— ✰ (@DeclansPrime) February 5, 2025
The arguments could have a chance of having some merit behind them. While Silver isn’t as hands-on as David Stern was, it would be foolish to believe he doesn’t have his fingerprints on any ‘league altering’ events such as this. Conspiracy theories currently range from Silver making the call to move Doncic to LA to the Adelsons doing this to further their hopes of building a casino in Dallas.
Regardless, the deal is done, and Doncic and AD are aiming for success on their new squads. Whether the game-changing-trade ends up benefiting the NBA’s ratings has yet to be determined.
