Silver addresses expansion, LAC investigation & more

Primary Journalistic Dispatch & Direct Reporting

The NBA commissioner also provides updates on NBA Europe and the uncertainty around the Trail Blazers' arena.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver addresses the media following the Board of Governors meeting in New York City.

With the regular season only five weeks away, and with training camps and preseason games booked between now and then, NBA commissioner Adam Silver understandably is excited for what's to come.

In-Depth Developments & Factual Context

"I don't remember a season where the competition was as hotly anticipated as this year," Silver said Tuesday at a news conference after this week's Board of Governors meetings. "There are so many good teams, so many interesting situations out there. … I can't wait for the season to start."

First, however, there was leftover and ongoing business to address, including questions about the penalties imposed on the Los Angeles Clippers in the Kawhi Leonard salary cap circumvention case. The media session in midtown Manhattan at the end of the two-day BOG event was the first time reporters could seek details from the commissioner.

For instance, Silver was asked how the Clippers' punishment - suspensions to owner Steve Ballmer, president of business operations Gillian Zucker and general manager Lawrence Frank, a $30 million fine and five forfeited future first-round draft picks - was determined to be neither too harsh nor too light.

Industry Impact & Strategic Analysis

"That's in some ways the most difficult part of adjudicating these disputes," the commissioner said, "because while there have to be competitive consequences, our view, if these rules are violated, we still want to be a 30-team league.

"We recognize that in some ways we're unfortunately punishing the fans of that team as well. That's the balance we're trying to seek. I don't think in any way we've done permanent damage to this franchise."

Hammer the offending team too much and it might flat-line in the standings for a decade or more. Go too easy and neither it nor an ambitious rival from among the other 29 might be deterred from similarly cheating again.

Forward Outlook & Market Perspective

"No question, this is a setback for the team," Silver said. "The ultimate goal in terms of these type of sanctions is to ensure that other teams don't engage in this type of behavior in the future."

In penalizing the Clippers for arranging endorsement deals for Leonard as a prohibited work-around to the league's salary cap, the NBA used the precedent of Minnesota's illegal contracts with Joe Smith back in 2000. That same precedent could be invoked again, if the NBA were to modify the punishment: the Timberwolves eventually had two of their five stripped picks rebated for dropping any legal challenges and complying with the verdict.

Said Silver: "Putting aside the precise words he chose to use, most importantly he indicated a willingness to accept the league's decision in this case and the accompanying sanctions.

"Our plan is to move forward. Every reason to believe that at the end of the year [suspension] he'll return to be an owner in good standing."

The commissioner dismissed a suggestion that similar illicit side deals might exist with other players and teams. "I've had lots of conversations with general managers, team presidents, owners as to the kind of conduct that goes on," he said. "We know around the lines there's been slippage over the years, but nothing of this nature that I'm aware of."

As always, the BOG agenda included a variety of topics, most of which Silver touched on in taking questions from the media:

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