In the aftermath of the NBA Emirates Cup tournament, LeBron James became the latest player to speak up on the new All-Star game format this year. Like many fans and players, James is unsure of the change and explained how it’s a symptom of an even greater problem with the NBA.
“Something had to change,” said James, via Dave McMenamin. “Everybody has their own opinion… but it’s different in a sense. We’ll see when we get there. It’s different and anytime you make some kind of change there’s gonna be some buck back. I have my ideas of what could work, but you have to do something. Obviously, the last couple of years have not been a great All-Star game on that Sunday night. But it’s a bigger conversation, it’s not just our All-Star game. Our game, there’s a lot of f—ing 3s being shot. So it’s a bigger conversation than just the All-Star Game.””
The NBA All-Star game has seen increasingly negative reviews in recent years and the NBA has responded by trying to alter the format several different times. From a vote-based team captain system to an “Elam Ending” and a “target score” format, the league has already cycled through several methods to add some excitement to the All-Star game and increase the viewing experience for fans.
This year, they’ve made the most drastic changes yet: swapping the game for a four-team tournament-style event. The idea is that the teams will play with more intensity on the court and that an 8-man roster will minimize the workload for each star player.
As good as these changes are, none of them address the core root of the problem. As LeBron (39) mentioned in his interview, the NBA’s current issues go beyond the All-Star game and now the ratings are starting to show just how serious they are.
In week 1 this season, the NBA reported a 42% drop in viewership, and the trend has continued into mid-December. While Adam Silver has blamed scheduling conflicts for the drop in viewership, others believe it’s the result of a dying product on the court.
This year, the NBA is on track for the most three-point attempts ever, and stocking up on shooters has become the new meta for any teams looking to compete for a title. In the modern NBA, the three-ball is everything and it’s resorted every team to the same, perimeter-oriented play style.
For guys like LeBron James, Charles Barkley, and Steve Kerr, the NBA is out of balance with the three-pointer, and the problems will persist until something is done to restore the balance and bring individuality back to the game.
With the rules already set for this season, James has no choice but to test out this new process just like every other All-Star. But many players have been clear that they prefer the old way of doing things so we will see if this format survives beyond this season.
As for any other changes, LeBron will likely not be around for them anyway as he prepares for retirement within the next few years. Like the rest of us, he just wants the NBA in a healthy place after he calls it quits. Considering the state of the league right now, Adam Silver has his work cut out for him but you can bet he will do whatever it takes to maximize his audience.
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