NBA – A big Lakers decision
is in store following the Lakers’ win
at the In-season Tournament..?
The first In-Season-Tournament in NBA history ended with a coronation for the Lakers, who beat the Pacers in the final.
There were, however, many doubts before its launch, but the In-Season-Tournament inaugurated by the NBA in 2023-24 ultimately enjoyed quite a bit of success.
Already, the final victory of a franchise as legendary as the Lakers brings great symbolism to this test but above all, the players really seemed motivated by the idea of shining in this tournament at the heart of the regular season.
At the same time, they weren’t doing it for nothing since the big league had promised a check for $500,000 to the winning athletes. not a ridiculous amount, especially for those without a huge salary.
However, all this gave ideas to Adam Silver and his staff, since ESPN recently revealed that an even bigger reward could be awarded to the winner of the coming season:
Play-In guaranteed for the winner of the In-Season-Tournament?
The possibility of adding a reward for the champion team has arguably been the biggest topic discussed over the past few weeks regarding potential changes. (…) People around the league think that there should be some sort of incentive given to teams to win this tournament starting next season, connecting the tournament to the fans beyond the fact that their teams win games and that players and coaches receive money.
While the idea of a top 6 finish is universally considered too advantageous by league insiders interviewed by ESPN, the idea of guaranteeing the tournament winner at least seventh place, meaning they would have two home games to earn a place in the playoffs, received greater support.
Casually, this could interest a lot of franchises in the battle for the Play-In, which would therefore be guaranteed for the team that wins the tournament.
The NBA would thus make its baby attractive both on an individual and collective level, without going so far as to offer an immediate spot in the playoffs.
Some renowned players like Damian Lillard and Myles Turner were fiercely opposed to it:
Damian Lillard: I wouldn’t give someone a playoff spot based on that. A lot can change between now and the playoffs.
Myles Turner: I’m not saying it’s an automatic playoff berth. I don’t think that’s something you can ask right away.
Building on the success of the In-Season-Tournament, the NBA could well decide to add even more importance to it by offering a place in the Play-In.
An uninteresting carrot for the big names, certainly, but which could be enticing for the teams on the weak side or even those at the end of the ranking.
It would also help combat tanking.
