• Loading stock data...
Friday, October 17, 2025

NBA Working ‘Now’ to Make Changes to In-Season Tournament

  • The league is looking to move quickly in its preparation for the event’s second iteration.
  • NBA’s Joe Dumars laments his former team’s extended losing streak.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Even after a successful debut, changes are coming quickly to the NBA’s In-Season Tournament. 

Following on league commissioner Adam Silver’s comments that elements of the event would be “tweaked” for future seasons, NBA executive vice president Joe Dumars said on Monday that a process is actively underway to review the tournament, solicit feedback, determine needed changes, and implement them. Dumars didn’t set a specific timetable on the initiative, but he said an urgency exists to make changes sooner rather than later.

“We really don’t want to drag it out too far,” Dumars said. “So this is happening now.”

Among the potential changes:

  • A shift of the semifinal games to home markets. The final, however, appears poised to return to Las Vegas. “I want to say Vegas, but I’m not sure. All of that is up for discussion. We just had a conversation Friday about this. So I think Vegas, but I don’t want to commit to that right now,” Dumars said.
  • A new process for constructing the much-discussed IST courts. Given Silver’s strong preference for the eye-catching designs, their return in some fashion is likely. But Dumars said that more lead time will be available to design, build, and install the courts, in turn helping mitigate the floor-quality issues that particularly impacted initial IST games.

Any changes made will require strong support from players. “Once you saw the atmosphere of what [the tournament] was like, you realize, ‘Yeah, this has hit with the players.’ As I said to Adam the other day, we can come up with all these ideas, but if the players don’t buy into it, they’re just ideas,” Dumars said.

Feelings for Detroit

While Dumars oversees all of basketball operations for the NBA, he acknowledged that the ongoing struggles of the Detroit Pistons have been “tough to watch” since he spent his entire Hall of Fame playing career with them. The Pistons have lost 24 consecutive games, just four short of the NBA’s longest streak ever, a slide that also has cut into team attendance.

“I would feel for any team that’s going through it, any of the other 29 teams,” Dumars said. “It’s the Pistons — I feel for the organization, for the fans there … And so it’s tough to watch the guys go through that. And I’m close with a lot of people there.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Jon Ledecky

Islanders Owner Warns WNBA Against Labor Strife: ‘No Bueno’

Jon Ledecky drew a stark contrast between the two leagues.
Dave Checketts

Ex-Knicks President: When David Stern Accused Me of Skirting Cap

The Knicks walked away clean when accused of cap circumvention in the 1990s.
Apr 11, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; A view of an NBA basketball and backyard and NBA logo before the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Toronto Raptors at the American Airlines Center.

NBA Tries to Solve Fragmentation Issue It Helped Create

A new “Tap to Watch” feature will direct fans to live games.
Mar 12, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; General view of ESPN broadcast camera during a game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena.

ESPN’s New NBA Segment Resists Hot Takes

LeBron James tweeted in favor of the new segment.

Featured Today

May 25, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Derek Jeter walks the red carpet on Sunday, May 25, 2025, ahead of the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

The Players’ Tribune Is Still Kicking 11 Years Later

Founder Derek Jeter is still closely involved in the publication.
Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson (22) celebrates with her teammates after her last second shot to take the lead 90-88 against the Phoenix Mercury in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix on Oct. 8, 2025.
exclusive
October 10, 2025

Standoff Over WNBA’s Future Has Dominated Finals

CBA negotiations have stolen the spotlight from the Aces’ dominant performance.
Paul Cartier
October 5, 2025

Sports Organists Are Still Thriving in the Era of Raucous Arena Music

“When they walk out and they see a real organ guy, it’s like, ‘Wow.’”
Sep 27, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Jackson Chourio (11) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the sixth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at American Family Field.
October 4, 2025

Milwaukee Moneyball: Brewers Are Beating MLB’s Deeper Pockets

Milwaukee is holding its own against big-budget competitors.
IndyCar driver Andretti Global's Kyle Kirkwood, left, celebrates winning the Detroit Grand Prix with team co-owner Dan Towriss in Detroit on Sunday, June 1, 2025.

Cadillac F1 CEO Dan Towriss Defends  $700 Million Apple Deal

“We’re going to have a bigger reach than what people think.”
Jun 15, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Second place Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen (1) sprays champagne on winner Mercedes driver George Russell (63) at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve.
October 17, 2025

Apple Officially Taking F1 Rights From ESPN in $700M Deal

ESPN has broadcast F1 in the U.S. since 2018.
Hansi Flick
October 17, 2025

Barcelona Players, Coach ‘Not Happy’ About Miami Game

La Liga is on the verge of relocating a December match.
Sponsored

How Jenny Just Is Shaping the Future of Sports Ownership

Jenny Just on bringing her investment experience to sports ownership.
October 16, 2025

NHL Expansion Fee Soars to $2B As League’s Value Surges

The buy-in price for the league will more than triple.
WNBA
October 16, 2025

WNBA Says All-Star Game Will Return to Chicago Next Year

The league’s CBA expires in two weeks.
October 15, 2025

NHL Raises Concerns Over 2026 Olympic Arena’s Delayed Construction

The commissioner says construction progress in Italy remains a deep concern.
Apr 4, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley reacts during the first quarter in a semifinal of the women's 2025 NCAA tournament against the Texas Longhorns at Amalie Arena.
October 14, 2025

Dawn Staley Says NBA Far From Ready to Hire a Female Head..

South Carolina’s women’s basketball coach interviewed with the Knicks.