NBA Commissioner Adam Silver addressed various topics during his traditional All-Star Saturday news conference, including the recent trade that sent Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Silver acknowledged that he was surprised by the trade and expressed empathy for the Mavericks organization. He stated that history will ultimately judge this deal, but the Mavs did what they thought was best for their organization.
The commissioner also discussed another high-profile trade involving Jimmy Butler, who was acquired by Golden State despite his history of fussing about injuries. Silver focused on the salary-cap and luxury tax elements of the league’s collective bargaining agreement that finance ahead of basketball.
In addition to trades, Silver spoke about player concerns regarding referees, which he acknowledged could ease as technology grows capable of monitoring out-of-bound rulings and line violations. He also touched on the Timberwolves’ ownership dispute, stating that an arbitration panel favored by a 2-1 vote ruled in favor of minority partners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez.
When asked about the state of the game, Silver cited Golden State coach Steve Kerr’s comments on how much three-point shooting has changed the league. However, he emphasized that there is no fix currently available to improve the game and reduce three-point shooting.
Silver also discussed the NBA audience’s consumption of content, including broadcast and cable TV, streaming services, the Internet, and social media. He expressed optimism about engaging young fans with various forms of content, such as players’ off-floor activities, music, fashion, or highlights.
Finally, Silver addressed the new Dikembe Mutombo Humanitarian Award, which honors the late NBA center’s humanitarian efforts in Africa.
Source: https://www.nba.com/news/adam-silver-news-conference-2025-all-star-weekend