Rowan Kavner 
Digital Content Coordinator
TORONTO - NBA Commissioner Adam Silver addressed a topic at his annual State of the Union address from All-Star Weekend that should pique the interest of all Clippers fans.
After recent reports intentional fouling rules could be altered during the season, Silver tried to clear up the rumors. While he said he’s beginning to feel a change needs to be made, it’s unlikely a major one will happen soon.
“First of all, change will not be enacted this season,” Silver said. “But it's an issue that we've been studying for some time now.”
Silver said this past summer the Competition Committee met to talk about the intentional fouling issue and consider whether changes should be made. The only decision at that time was the rule would continue to be monitored, and the committee wanted to see data from an additional season before making any recommendations.
“So far, up to the All-Star break this season, we're seeing the ‘Hack-a-Shaq’ strategy used at roughly a five and a half times greater rate than it was used last season,” Silver said. “So, to the extent that the data is coming in, it's showing there is a clear trend and that clearly our coaches who are smart and using very complex analytics believe it is benefiting them.”
With that information at hand, Silver said his personal view is beginning to change after being on the fence last summer. He said that comes in response to conversations with network partners and in response to fan data.
“We're constantly surveying our fans to get their sense of what they see out on the floor,” Silver said. “I'm talking to players and general managers and our owners of course.
“I would say the interesting thing, though, and this is true even among the strongest critics of the so-called ‘Hack-a-Shaq’ strategy, there doesn't appear to be any clear consensus on what the new rule should be. So, I think it's my job right now to at least formulate an alternative together with the Competition Committee to ultimately bring to our Board of Governors.”
Silver pointed out that it requires two-thirds of the owners (20 teams) to vote in favor of a rule change for it to pass.
“So we're nowhere near that point where we're even starting to count heads,” said Silver, who added that it should be a deliberate process and nothing should be done harshly, which is why he’s not in favor of changing the rule in the middle of the season.
Silver said he’s “fairly confident” nothing will happen until the owners have a chance to consider it in April, because as of right now a clear alternative hasn’t emerged.
But there could be a minor tweak.
The rule some believed might change during the season was the specific strategy of jumping on a player’s back during a free-throw, which Silver described as a “slightly different issue.”
“We're very concerned from a safety issue, because it is a dangerous move,” Silver said. “What we've been discussing with our teams and with our players is making clear that jumping on a player's back could result in a flagrant foul, not just a foul.”
The owners have a meeting Sunday in Toronto, where Silver said he’ll talk about that piggyback move. Silver said his sense is a memo will be sent out depending how that discussion goes to clarify that move, which he doesn’t consider technically consider a hacking rule change.
“Games do not begin again until Thursday night,” Silver said. “So the teams have an opportunity to meet with their players and make sure that's clearly communicated that everyone is on notice within an official's discretion, they could call flagrant foul for what we view is a potentially dangerous move like that.
Quick Hits
- Silver began the conference by sending his condolences to Oklahoma City assistant coach Monty Williams and his family following the passing of Williams’ wife, Ingrid. “I would just say the entire NBA family is in grieving for the Williams family,” Silver said.
- Silver told a story of how Dr. James Naismith made the game of basketball to make a sport where athletes could stay active while indoors during cold winters. The temperature reached the negatives this weekend in Toronto, but it doesn’t sound like Silver’s a proponent of only making All-Star Weekend in warm climates.
- Silver said he’s not sure if it’s been good or bad for the league to leave a center designation off the All-Star ballot, but it’s something to continue to look at.
- With the All-Star process brought up, Silver said the league will need to look closely going forward at the use of social media in the All-Star balloting. “While we love the fan participation and we’re big advocates of social media, at the same time, I don’t want our All-Stars to be determined based on who has the most clever or active social media campaign for a particular player,” Silver said.
- Speaking of social media, the NBA recently passed one billion followers on social media, a feat Silver pointed out.
- It’s the first All-Star Game outside of the United States, and the Saturday and Sunday festivities will be televised in 215 countries and territories.
- Silver said there are roughly 120 current NBA players in town for the All-Star festivities, as well as more than 100 retired NBA players.