I've Been Saying Adam Silver is a Problem For Years... Now, It Appears Everyone Is Catching On

For years, I have not hesitated to voice my concerns about the direction the NBA has taken under Adam Silver's tenure as commissioner. From the league's declining product to questionable decisions that have hurt the league's reputation with the casual fan.

Whether it's the issue of "load management", making player movement more difficult, or the style of play, I think it has become quite evident that the NBA Silver took over in 2014, is not viewed the same by fans in 2025 and while it is not all his fault, I do believe he needs to take a brunt of the responsibility for the decline of the NBA.

For what seems like the hundredth time, Silver modified the All-Star format this past weekend, and it would be an understatement to say that it was poorly received. Now, It seems like the tide is finally on Silver who was once viewed as a player friendly boss, as more players, fans, and experts have begun to express their unhappiness with him. 

Although Silver initially appeared to be the perfect commissioner for the modern NBA, it appears that his choices are now catching up with him, as evidenced by the growing annoyance of players, fans, and experts. Even NBA players are speaking out more about their frustration with the current state of the league.

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green put the new All Star format on blast Sunday night claiming how he found it be disrespectful to have "The Rising Stars" on the same floor as the All Stars and while I do find myself eye-rolling what Green has to say a lot of the time, in this case he is 100% correct. 

Both the league's on-court product and the interest of casual fans are declining. I was not expecting to ever feel this strongly or be this concerned about the future of the NBA, and to be fair, Adam Silver isn't entirely to blame for all of the league's issues, but in the end, he bears a lot of the responsibility as commissioner.

My friends and I grew up as hockey fans in Canada, yet somehow, every year, we found ourselves discussing the NBA more than the NHL. With that, I would even say for a period of time, the Stanley Cup Final did not excite us as much as the NBA Finals did. Even in a country where hockey is the most popular sport, the NBA had grown so much. Even while I continue to watch, I no longer see the same enthusiasm about the league from my friends, which makes me a little sad.

While I don't claim we were ever the pinnacle of NBA fandom, I do believe we are a decent representation of the type of casual fans who exist today—once passionate viewers who now feel more cut off from the NBA than ever before which should be damn near impossible in the day of social media and sports gambling.

With the generation of players like LeBron, Durant, and Curry coming to a close, I’m not sure if Silver is the guy to guide us into the next era. In a time when sports have never been more popular, it is pretty alarming that fan interest seems to be at an all-time low. The NBA could lose its position as one of the most significant sports leagues in the world if he doesn't acknowledge this change and act. Silver either needs to take charge and make the necessary changes or step back and let someone else try.