Rumors

Asked about the sale of the Portland Trail Blazers by the Paul G. Allen estate, initiated in May, Silver said that, "It is our preference that that team remains in Portland. We've had great success in Portland over the years." Notably, Silver said that Portland, "likely needs a new arena, so that will be part of the challenge for any new ownership group coming in." The Blazers have played in Moda Center since 1995, making it one of the league's oldest arenas that has not undergone substantial renovations. Moda Center upgrades begun with the aim of completion before hosting the NCAA Division I women's basketball Final Four in 2030, but are on pause during the sale process, per the Rose Garden Report.

ESPN

Speaking after the NBA's board of governors discussed the topic of expansion at meetings this week, commissioner Adam Silver said Tuesday that the dialogue about whether to potentially add teams to the league will continue with additional research. "A lot of analysis still needs to be done and nothing's been predetermined one way or another, and without any specific timeline," Silver said in his opening remarks. "We're going to be as thorough as possible and look at all the potential issues."

ESPN

Although that conversation hasn't tangibly moved closer to potentially awarding teams, Silver described the latest update as "a significant step." "We're now engaging in this in-depth analysis, something we weren't prepared to do before," Silver said. "But beyond that, as I said, it's really day one of that analysis. In terms of price, potential timeline -- too early to say. And again, I think that also assumes the outcome of this analysis. It is truly a complicated issue."

ESPN

Those economic factors can be worked out if the owners want to, but is there an appetite among the existing 30 owners to expand? “I think the appetite in the room I would define more as curiosity and more as let’s do the work,” Silver said. “I think if I were an owner, ultimately what you’re considering is, is this additive to the league? And additive can be measured in lots of different ways. There’s additive economically, but I think you’re also thinking from a competitive standpoint, how would particular markets impact our national footprint?”

NBC Sports

Tim Reynolds: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver says the league discussed expansion in Las Vegas this week and the office has been tasked with an in-depth analysis of all issues around expansion. This sounds like the first real step in the fact-finding process.

Twitter

In the wake of a recent federal investigation into former Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley on allegations of gambling related to NBA games and prop bets, Silver said that legalized sports gambling was still preferable to the alternative. "If my choice were legalized sports betting vs. illegal sports betting, I still think a legalized structure is better," Silver said. "What we're seeing now in some of the investigations you're referencing is operational data, which causes in many cases, betting companies or independent agencies who are overseeing this betting activity to raise flags and say what's happening here? "I think the issue is if you didn't have that legalized structure, what would otherwise be going on that went undetected?"

ESPN

Gary Washburn: Adam Silver said the NBA will begin in-depth studies about the "value of expansion" and offered no timeline for the completion of any study or announcement of any potential new teams. #NBA

x.com

Chris Mannix: No real update on expansion from Adam Silver. Silver says the league has been tasked by owners to do an in-depth analysis on the pros/cons of expansion. No timeline. No hints at locations. Asked by @SInow the temperature of owners for expansion, Silver replies “curious.”

x.com

“What I would tell [commissioner] David Stern and then Adam [Silver] … you know how in soccer, for the Olympics it’s 21-and-under, 22-and-under, whatever it is? And then [FIFA] own the World Cup? And the World Cup’s a bigger event? I’m like, ‘give [the Olympics] our young kids. Do the same thing as soccer. Let the 21-and-under play for the Olympics, and then create our own international World Cup.’ … And they were like, ‘Well, FIBA. We got this contract with FIBA.’ Well that contract will expire. And them immediately — like, they wouldn’t tell me anything — but they were like, ‘Okay, we signed an extension with FIBA,'” Cuban explained, giving a dramatic eye-roll.

Awful Announcing

After receiving 11 bids, the WNBA chose Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia as its next three expansion teams, with all three teams backed by owners of the NBA teams in those cities. The owners of the three WNBA expansion teams preceding these—the Golden State Valkyries, the Toronto Tempo and Portland—also have NBA ties. Last September, Allen & Co. was hired by the league to lead the expansion process. “If there are NBA owners in the back room saying, ‘Hey, when am I getting my team?’ I think Adam [Silver] is probably listening,” Austin expansion backer Fran Harris, an entrepreneur and former WNBA player, told Sportico in a phone interview. “It’s hard to tell a billionaire with a thriving NBA team and operation that they can’t run it back with a W team. It’s hard to look at them and just go, ‘I don’t think you’re right.’”

Sportico

In addition to Harris, Austin’s proposal was supported by NBA superstar Kevin Durant (who starred one year at the University of Texas), former Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry and PEAK6 founder Jenny Just. All big names, but none with active control of an NBA team.

Sportico

Of the eight rejected bids, only two (Houston and Charlotte, N.C.) were backed by NBA team owners. The other six (St. Louis; Kansas City, Mo.; Austin, Texas; Nashville, Tenn.; Miami; and Denver) sent proposals without support from NBA ownership. While Miami and Denver have NBA teams, the ownership was not involved in the WNBA bid.

Sportico

Vincent Goodwill: But since the 2011 CBA, so many teams have changed since I want to say 16, especially with the Lakers now. 16. So you have to find all these new revenue streams and then gambling comes along and says, "Hey, we've been here this whole time. we are just waiting for you to come and embrace us. And they're like, "Okay, cool. Fine." You put the fail safes in the system. Here's what happens. The league doesn't catch this stuff. FanDuel catches this stuff because they can't afford to lose money. They can't afford to have their system compromised by insider trading by and large. So, if that were to happen, and neither one of us is indicting Malik Beasley here. Let's be perfectly clear. It's still it's under investigation.

YouTube

"We had already convened a panel of experts before Tyrese's most recent Achilles rupture," Adam Silver said on the telecast. "We had seven this year. We had zero last year under the exact same circumstances. The most we've ever had in a season is four."

ESPN