The players have taken power in the NBA, and in recent years, it is them, even under contract, who request their transfer. We think of Anthony Davis, Ben Simmons, James Harden or more recently Kevin Durant. Pressure blows which obviously annoy the leaders of the teams concerned, but also the NBA. While the league and the players will discuss the next collective agreement, Adam Silver wanted to remind that respect for the signed contract was essential. Especially in the case of Durant who has four years left on his contract…
” I don’t know if the player asked for a trade or if he demanded it. I don’t know what’s going on between him and his team but there’s definitely a lot of excitement in this town about possible transfers. says Silver during an interview given in Las Vegas. ” But it has to be both ways. Teams offer security and guarantees to players, and in return they are expected to live up to their end of the bargain. I am aware that there will always be discussions behind the scenes between players and team representatives. But we don’t like seeing players asking for transfers and we don’t like seeing things going the way they are now. Basketball was fantastic last season, the playoffs, and we had a wonderful final. I don’t mean to be naive, but I would, I would really like to see the focus on the game on the pitch. »
A subject discussed with the players’ union
What Silver especially regrets is the domino effect caused by a transfer request. When a Davis, a Harden or Durant asks to leave, it has an impact on several teams and several players.
” When a player asks to be transferred, it has an effect on many other players, on this player’s team and on other teams Silver continues. ” It’s potentially not just the NBA or the owners who are affected by this, but many other players as well. This is one of the topics we intend to discuss with the players union to see if there are any other solutions to this issue. There will never be any question of players remaining unhappy in certain situations. Simply, we do not want the situation to unfold as it is now. I think there is a mutual interest between the players collectively and the NBA to have more stability. »
First of all, a contractual “stability”. For the NBA, the player must respect his part of the contract.
“I think we and the players’ union need to discuss and recognize the principles that are at stake here, namely the sanctity of contracts and the desire for stability. Because we have a very productive relationship with the players’ union, I’m hopeful that we can find a way to bring attention back to the pitch without completely eliminating the fact that players ask to be transferred. »