Silver wants age-limit change, no rush on others
NEW YORK — Even as the NBA prepares for a draft that could be headlined by freshmen, Commissioner Adam Silver remains committed to keeping them in college.
So much so that NCAA President Mark Emmert was invited to discuss his involvement with owners.
Silver is moving cautiously on potential changes to areas such as the lottery format and playoff structure, but he makes it clear that raising the draft age limit to abolish the so-called “one and done” is one of his priorities.
Freshmen Andrew Wiggins of Kansas and Jabari Parker of Duke are expected to be top-five picks in June, but Silver believes teams are taking those players young because of the system in place, not because it’s their preference.
“The fact that our teams would draft these players if they were coming out of high school as they used to, or one year out of college, I think doesn’t mean change isn’t necessary,” Silver said Friday.
The age limit requiring American players to be 19 and a year out of high school was implemented in 2005, creating a system where players would simply go to college for a year and then declare for the draft. Silver and predecessor David Stern have long spoken about the desire to increase the limit to 20. But no change, which would have to be discussed with the union, was made during the last round of collective bargaining in 2011.
The sides haven’t had much serious discussion since then. The union has been without an executive director since ousting Billy Hunter 14 months ago, but Silver’s desire for change remains.
“We’re ready to go,” Silver said. “We’ve been thinking about this issue for a long time.”
With Silver overseeing his first board meeting since replacing Stern in February, owners heard a discussion on ways to change the lottery system, which could be a way to erase the desire to “tank” — seeking a poor record to have the best chances at the No. 1 pick. Silver said there was also discussion about redesigning the playoff structure to qualify the top 16 teams, rather than the top eight in each conference. Phoenix, which finished ninth in the West with 48 wins, would’ve tied for third in the East.
But Silver said those items should be discussed first by the competition committee.
“For me, the league is doing so well right now, I just want to be very deliberate and cautious about any major changes like that,” Silver said. “It doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t make changes.”
DEVELOPMENTS
Jazz win tiebreaker: The Utah Jazz have won a tiebreaker with the Boston Celtics, giving them a chance for a better draft pick.
Both teams finished 25-57. The Jazz will be slotted fourth in the lottery, with a 10.4-percent chance at the No. 1 pick, while the Celtics will have a 10.3-percent chance. If they or no teams behind them move up, Utah will pick No. 4 and Boston at No. 5.
Boston also will have the No. 17 pick after a tie was broken between Brooklyn and Washington, both 44-38. The Nets owe the pick to the Celtics from last summer’s trade that landed them Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett.
Chicago (48-34) won a tiebreaker with Toronto at No. 19.
The ties were broken Friday through random drawings.
NBA works with military: Army graduate Mike Krzyzewski will lead a U.S. national team practice at his alma mater, and the U. S. women will train at the Naval Academy as part of an increased partnership among the NBA, USA Basketball and the Department of Defense.
The NBA and its teams will also organize job fairs and other events to support military personnel in their transition back to civilian life.
TNT’s Sager ill: TNT analyst Craig Sager will miss the NBA playoffs as he undergoes treatment for leukemia.
Sager said the postseason is “my favorite time of year — city to city, round by round, 40 games in 40 nights.” But, he said, “a dramatic turn has matched me with acute myeloid leukemia. From the sidelines to being sidelined, 40 veins and 40 electrolytes.”
Tulsa man buys in to Thunder: Tulsa businessman George B. Kaiser has joined the Oklahoma City Thunder’s ownership team. He is purchasing the ownership interest of Tom L. Ward.