With the start of each NBA season, rumors surface that struggling teams may lose on purpose in order to gain better draft position. Given the hype surrounding the 2023 draft class, including star prospects Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson, those talks already appear to be at a high point to kick off the 2022-23 season.
The discourse found its way to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver again this week during a Q&A session with Suns employees, in which he apologized for the league’s handling of embattled owner Robert Sarver, according to a report from ESPN. Sarver received a one-year suspension and a $10 million fine on Sept. 29 following a league investigation into workplace misconduct.
After a Suns employee reportedly questioned Silver during the session about refueling, Silver said the NBA had “notified teams” and planned to give the issue “special attention” later in the season. Silver also told Suns staff that tanking is viewed as a “serious problem” in the league that has sparked “hundreds” of meetings.
The NBA’s apparent concerns about teams not doing their best stems in large part from the aura surrounding Wembenyama, the suspected No. 1 draft pick of 23. The 18-year-old, 7-foot-4-year-old has already been recognized by many as denotes a potential franchise change that could immediately dominate.
Silver didn’t specifically mention Wembanyama or anyone else interested in his response, but made sure to note that while a draft is a “good system” in principle, he could understand why teams would try to tank to get the chance a “once player of a generation.”
Still, Silver made it clear that the league thinks tanking is “something we need to watch out for.”
“Teams are smarter. They’re creative and responsive – we move, they move – so we’re always looking to see if there’s a better system out there,” added Silver.
As the new season progresses, Silver and his constituents will likely continue to face questions about fueling as next year’s draft draws closer. As for a possible solution to promoting bad teams, Silver said the league had considered relegation but acknowledged it would “destabilize” the NBA’s business model.
However, should that scenario materialize, Silver stated that one or two of the NBA’s worst teams would potentially be relegated to the G League, while one or two of the G League’s best teams would be promoted to the NBA.
“It would be so disruptive to our business model,” Silver said, per ESPN. “And even if you picked up two teams from the G League, they wouldn’t be equipped to compete in the NBA.”
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