The idea of expanding the NBA beyond its current 30 teams is a popular one that the league is widely expected to consider more seriously within the next few years. However, according to Chris Mannix of SI.com, some top team executives around the NBA are worried about the extent to which the league’s talent pool could be diluted by adding more teams. That’s a concern shared by commissioner Adam Silver.
“The dilution point doesn’t get as much attention,” Silver said. “It always fascinates me that in a league of what most people would acknowledge are the 450 best players in the world or close to it, despite enormous amount of basketball being played on a global basis, that even once you take that pool—450 players—there are only so many true difference-makers who without one or possibly two, or maybe even three of those players, you don’t have a realistic chance of winning the championship. And so the more teams you add, the more diluted, potentially, the talent will be around the league.
“… On the other hand, this is a sport that is an Olympic sport. It’s truly played on every corner of the planet. And so I think over time … you have this enormous new pool of top-notch talent that’s constantly coming into the league,” Silver continued. “So do I think the league from a competitive standpoint could absorb two more teams? Absolutely. We’re not there yet. … But overall, my biggest concern is not an impact it would have on competitive balance.”
Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot‘s contract with Olimpia Milano in Italy has ended, making the former NBA swingman a free agent once again, per Cesare Milanti of Eurohoops.net. Luwawu-Cabarrot has appeared in 328 regular season NBA games since 2016, including 52 with Atlanta in 2021/22. He was in camp with Phoenix last fall.
- A.J. Johnson, a potential 2024 NBA lottery pick, decommitted from Texas in order to sign with the Illawara Hawks of Australia’s National Basketball League, according to Adrian Wojnarowski and Jonathan Givony of ESPN. Johnson is the highest-profile U.S. prospect since LaMelo Ball to forgo college basketball in favor of the NBL’s Next Stars program, Wojnarowski and Givony note.
- Former Seattle SuperSonics star Shawn Kemp has been charged with first-degree assault related to a shooting incident in Tacoma, Washington in March. ESPN has the story.
- Under the NBA’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement, the Players Association will receive 50% of team fines, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks. The current CBA splits player fines between the league and union, but team fines – like the $750K penalty assessed to the Mavericks this week – go only to the NBA.
One could argue the current 30 team limit is holding back some significant talent, if they find themselves on rosters where they struggle to find rotational minutes because of a backlog at their position. One possible example: how much was Jaden Hardy’s development hindered by the lack of backcourt minutes throughout the season in Dallas? Put him on an expansion club and I wouldn’t have been surprised to see him end up with at least a 15 ppg rookie season.
Agreed. The same could be said about Cam Thomas. When he got the chance, he had three consecutive 40-point games, but now he’s out of the rotation. His defense needs work.
There’s so many talented players that are out of the league that could fill 2 teams easily…
I don’t buy the dilution excuse. As long as there is a cap and luxury tax, it will even out.
There really are no bad teams anymore. Sure some go up and down (Orlando, Houston, Portland) but they always reemerge. Spurs went from a powerhouse to rebuilding, same with OKC. It all comes around with new players.
The dilution excuse is terrible. There are plenty of really good players on every team who never get minutes because they are blocked by a vet or higher paid contract. Same reason there are G League players who could be rotation players but never get their shot.
I agree with the other comments. Look at Peyton Pritchard. Every year Celtics bring in players, and his playing time disappears. But when he gets a chance, he puts up good numbers and adds an enthusiasm that is often lacking with star players who play 40 minutes a game. Max Struss was a nobody until given a chance with Miami. There are many other examples including ones that others have pointed out.
Silver isn’t really worried about dilution…
He just has to placate the owners with an excuse that makes the real reason seem less of a thing…
The owners don’t want to dilute their profits with more teams… Even though that opens up new markets for their teams to sell to…
Silver can see the dollar signs that new teams will bring in…
It’s crazy that I could beat Steph in 1v1 but no team will give me a look. More lip service from the suits. Try putting on some air jordins and see me at Rocker Park
And by the way I mean street rules not with NBA refs that will give him every call cuz he’s pretty
it’s rucker.
Fire silver