Starting in 2026/27, the semifinals of the NBA Cup (in-season tournament) will be played in teams’ home markets, with the higher seeds hosting those games at their own arenas, the league announced this week in a press release (Twitter link).
In the first two iterations of the NBA Cup, the semifinals and final have both taken place in Las Vegas — that will happen again this winter, but beginning next year, only the championship game will be played at a neutral site.
Within the same release, the NBA also announced a minor tweak to coach’s challenge rules. Going forward, when an out-of-bounds violation is reviewed, it will be up to the replay center – rather than the crew chief of the game’s on-court officiating crew – to determine whether a foul should have been called on the play.
We have more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Beginning this fall, unsuccessful heaves at the end of quarters will be recorded as missed field goal attempts by the team rather than the player, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). The NBA tested the change at the Las Vegas Summer League earlier this year in an effort to ensure players are more willing to throw up buzzer-beaters at the end of periods without worrying about misses affecting their shooting percentages.
- Former NBA star Tony Parker, who is a EuroLeague shareholder as the owner of the French team ASVEL Basket, continues to advocate for collaboration between the NBA and the EuroLeague as the NBA looks into starting its own European league, as Aris Barkas of Eurohoops relays (via China Daily). “If the EuroLeague, the NBA, and FIBA can find a way to work together to build a strong league. That will be amazing for European basketball,” Parker said during a promotional visit to Chengdu. “… For me, as an owner of a French club, having an agreement between the three is the key to the success of European basketball.”
- Former NBA guard Naz Mitrou-Long has officially signed with Napoli Basket for the 2025/26 season, the team announced in a press release. Mitrou-Long, who appeared in 20 NBA regular season games for Utah and Indiana from 2017-20 has bounced around Europe in recent years, playing for multiple teams (including Olimpia Milano) in Italy, Zalgiris Kaunas in Lithuania, and Olympiacos in Greece.
Another rules improvement:
Officials have been instructed to call and enforce “TRAVELING” violations.
Are players REALLY thinking about their FG percentage at the end of a half when considering a desperation heave??
What makes you think the players initiated the rule change?
Only americunt superstars (sans curry) don’t take full court shots cuz of fg %.
Changing the stat rules is just catering to the weak minded.
We are better off with bad players making bad decisions rather than changing the rules to even the playing field… You’re taking away an advantage from the team-oriented, winner mindset players by allowing the egotistical to get free heaves.
Now we are going to start seeing these americunts fight for who takes the free full court attempt. NBA is a sad joke.
Why can’t euro basket be 9 months long?
Someone has some issues.