9:03 PM
Sources told ESPN that there is renewed enthusiasm for the creation of a future NBA tournament among the league's 30 teams.
The NBA and National Basketball Players Association have been discussing elements of the tournament, which could become part of the calendar as soon as the next two seasons.
The in-season tournament would begin with pool play as part of the regular-season schedule prior to teams with the best records moving on to an eight-team, single-elimination tournament that would conclude before Christmas, sources said. The regular-season would be shortened from 78 to 82 games.
The sides have talked about a $1 million per player purse for the winning team, and the players could see more financial and competitive incentives before an agreement is reached, sources said. The NBA is motivated by the hopes of lucrative television and sponsorship revenue that will deliver long-term financial growth.
The league had to make sure that the financial reductions for teams and players would be break-even in the first year, with the hope of more financial gains in the long run. NBA commissioner Adam Silver is interested in the success of the European soccer tournaments because he believes players and fans will get excited over time.
The idea has been percolating for a few years and the early success and acceptance of the play-in tournament appears to have built a bridge for the league to intensify plans for the event. The NBPA's February winter meetings in Cleveland are expected to become more serious as the Players Association talks broadly with players on the idea.
Sources said that there had been some apprehension over the idea among big-market owners. The teams were concerned about absorbing short-term losses on losing two home dates to introduce the tournament, especially when those games can be worth between $2.7 million and $4 million for the most profitable big-market teams, sources said.
Silver has shown an ability to rally ownership on his priorities and he has been an immense champion of the idea. There has been an increase in confidence that the tournament is in reach of negotiations.
