Welcome to Layup Traces, For the Win’s basketball e-newsletter. Subscribe right here to get it delivered to your inbox each Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Have suggestions for the Layup Traces Crew? Go away your questions, feedback and considerations by means of this temporary reader survey. Now, right here’s Mike Sykes
Completely happy Friday, Winners! Welcome again to Layup Traces. Thanks a lot for becoming a member of me at present. I hope you’ve obtained an incredible weekend deliberate forward of you.
The NBA has been making some energy strikes on the enterprise aspect of issues. We’ve heard all in regards to the league’s upcoming tv rights deal, which we’ll really get into a bit bit later within the e-newsletter.
However what I wish to contact on right here at present is enlargement. It’s coming. And it’ll most likely be right here fairly shortly after the league wraps up its new TV deal.
At this level, the NBA has been speaking about enlargement for years. Adam Silver has maintained that the league would discover increasing additional after the enterprise with the TV deal wrapped up. He reiterated that once more to reporters earlier this week.
Effectively, right here we’re. The deal is simply inches away from the end line with Turner Sports activities holding issues up. With that in thoughts, Silver says enlargement discussions about enlargement will start “in earnest” this fall.
However what do these discussions seem like? What do they entail? The league has to ask itself if it’s the appropriate time to increase. Parity has taken over NBA basketball over these previous few years. The NBA has landed in a candy spot the place the expertise pool isn’t too dense with stars stacking up on just a few groups at a time. Virtually each staff has a participant able to being an All-Star.
Whenever you increase, you dilute that product. Simply merely including two groups means including 24 roster spots. A majority of these gamers will come from groups which can be already well-balanced. Does the NBA need that? What does that imply for the product?
That doesn’t even contact on the logistics of all of it. The place would these groups be situated? What’s journey like there?
This isn’t an argument in opposition to enlargement. These are simply the important questions the NBA might want to ask itself this fall. when discussions start. Hopefully, the league finds good solutions to them.
READ MORE: Seven most certainly cities for NBA enlargement
Contained in the NBA could survive
(Photograph by Ethan Miller/Getty Photographs)
Talking of the NBA’s new TV deal, it looks like there’s an opportunity that Turner could maintain onto the league’s broadcast rights in any case.
You understand what which means? Contained in the NBA would possibly simply survive these negotiations in any case. I wrote about {that a} bit this morning for The Morning Win.
Turner has 5 days to determine whether or not it’ll match a deal from both NBC Common or Amazon:
“Deadline reported on Wednesday that TNT intends to match the Amazon Prime Video provide, which is reportedly $700 million cheaper than the NBC bid. That received’t come simple. Contemplating how a lot cash is on the desk right here, it should most likely get ugly and litigious. The stakes are excessive.
However that is excellent news for followers hoping the Contained in the NBA crew might stick collectively for the long term. No matter negotiations, we’re technically nonetheless getting yet another season of the present, however so many individuals have grown up with this present and its unimaginable solid of characters. Charles Barkley and crew have labored their manner into folks’s hearts over the previous couple of a long time. Realizing that it’s on its final legs is a bit heartbreaking. Most folks don’t wish to see that merely go away.”
Amazon looks like Turner’s doubtless goal right here. If TNT decides to match, absolutely Amazon will most likely attempt to struggle it, contemplating how a lot cash is on the desk.
However the backside line is that this: As near finished as this deal appears, there’s nonetheless a bit extra work to do earlier than all sides can cross the end line.
Shootaround
— 5 undrafted free agent rookies who’ve actually impressed to date in Summer season League from Bryan Kalbrosky.
— 5 second-round picks who’ve emerged as steals to date within the Summer season League, once more, from Kalbrosky.
— Indiana Fever broadcasters going loopy over Caitlin Clark’s report nineteenth help won’t ever get outdated to me. Meg Corridor has extra.
— The Golden State Valkyries are already doing a little fairly cool issues within the bay space.
That’s a wrap, of us! Thanks a lot for studying. Have a incredible weekend. Peace.
-Sykes ✌️
