The 2024 NBA offseason has been the first one where teams, players, agents, media and fans have been able to evaluate the effects of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, particularly the aprons that limit the tools available to sign and acquire players. In his press conference from Summer League on Tuesday, Adam Silver said the feedback he has received so far has been positive.
“The early feedback is that the system appears to be working in that we are very clear that we set out to put more pressure on the high end; that while we’re not looking to completely flatten salaries throughout the league, part of the goals we set in collective bargaining was to ensure that every team was in a position to compete for championships and had the resources available to do so,” said Silver.
“I think what we’re seeing in the new deal is it’s going above the second apron, for example, doesn’t just have financial consequences. Those financial consequences are pretty severe, but they have impact on your ability to sign players and draft players.
“What I’m hearing from teams, even as the second apron is moving to kick in, the teams are realizing there are real teeth in those provisions.
“I don’t know how to view this, but I know reports have come out that the summer was boring from a fan standpoint. I don’t certainly think it was. We still saw a lot of critically important players moving from one team to another as free agents.
“But at the same time, I think this new system, while I don’t want it to be boring, I want to put teams in a position, 30 teams, to better compete. I think we’re on our way to doing that.
“I’ll just say lastly what I’ve learned over the years of having been part of the negotiation of many different deals is sometimes the impact is difficult to project and anticipate because ultimately it’s hard to model precisely how teams and players will respond to certain systems.
“I would say it’s still early days. Again, from what we want to see happen, we’re pretty happy.”
Silver also was asked a question about the NBA’s increase in parity with six different champions over the past six years and whether he gets a sense some people are pining for the types of dynasties that have defined the growth of the league.
“I get asked that question a lot, whether we’re set out not to have dynasties or whether we’ve created a system where we don’t have repeat championships,” said Silver. “My answer is that as long as we can create something close to a level playing field in terms of the tools available to teams to compete, I’m absolutely fine with dynasties and I’m fine with new teams emerging every year.
“I think what the fans want to see is great competition. And for fans of whatever team they’re rooting for, they want to believe that their team, regardless of the size of the market or the depth of the pockets of ownership, are in a position to compete in the same way the 29 other teams are.
“So from my standpoint, as long as teams are emerging through strong management, great players, great chemistry, through great coaches and great management of the organization, let the results happen however they play out. I don’t have a predetermined view.
“I do think, though, the fact that we’ve had six different champions over the last six years does speak to the system. I mean, it does suggest that through successive Collective Bargaining Agreements, through changes in our revenue-sharing programs and other things we are able to control at the league, statistically the league has become more competitive over time.”
