Newsletter
Fadeaway World
  • Fadeaway World
  • NBA News & Analysis
  • NBA Trade Rumors
  • NBA News & Media
  • Exclusive Interviews
  • NBA 2K
Reading: Future NBA Cup Champions Could Get A Guaranteed Play-In Spot
Fadeaway WorldFadeaway World
Search
  • Fadeaway World
  • NBA News & Analysis
  • NBA Trade Rumors
  • NBA News & Media
  • Exclusive Interviews
  • NBA 2K
Follow US
Home > NBA News & Analysis > Future NBA Cup Champions Could Get A Guaranteed Play-In Spot

Future NBA Cup Champions Could Get A Guaranteed Play-In Spot

Future winners of the NBA In-Season Tournament could be guaranteed a spot in the play-in tournament.

Gautam Varier
Dec 12, 2023
5 Min Read
Share

Credit: Fadeaway World

Every player on the Los Angeles Lakers, the 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament champions, will be getting $500,000 as prize money, but a bigger prize might be on offer in the future. As per an ESPN report, the NBA could guarantee future champions a spot in the play-in tournament.

“While a top-6 berth was universally seen as a bridge too far among league insiders spoken to by ESPN, one idea that had more support was guaranteeing the winner of the tournament at least the seventh spot, meaning they would get two home games to earn their way into the playoffs.”

The first-ever tournament was a massive success, as we witnessed tremendous action in the games. There was talk earlier about whether the players would care considering they’d just be getting money for winning it and they certainly seemed to.

Add in the winning team getting a play-in spot and the stakes would obviously be even higher. Should it be done though? I don’t believe so. There are a fair few issues that come with making that change.

First of all, this decision would mean that seven tournament games would be considered more important than 76 regular season games when it comes to making the play-in tournament. That doesn’t seem quite right and it would also somewhat defeat the purpose of the tournament itself.

The NBA had introduced the play-in to give an incentive for teams to play hard toward the end of the season. If one of the spots is already taken, then you’d have fewer teams in the mix, and as a result, more of them would be inclined to pack it in.

Bigger prize money and advantages such as having tiebreakers over every team in the league would be a fairer reward, and that’s what Myles Turner suggested as well. Another potential bigger reward could be that the winning team gets the home-court advantage in a playoff series or even for the entire postseason if they make it in.


Tyrese Haliburton Suggested That The Winner Should Get A Playoff Spot

The idea of guaranteeing the winner a spot in the playoffs was seen as a bridge too far by the insiders as per the ESPN report. Tyrese Haliburton, however, was all for it and felt it would be the greatest incentive.

“I think the greatest incentive for everybody to do it would be an automatic playoff bid,” Haliburton said. “If it was a playoff spot, I think everyone would take it very, very serious, right? I think the older teams would take it serious. But then it might … what would [the winning team] do then?”

I should make it clear he said this before the tournament started, so this wasn’t a case of Haliburton saying this because his team was potentially going to win. He did recognize, though, that this would be difficult and would come with issues like some older teams not caring about the regular season after winning it.

While we can’t say for sure whether there would be some sort of change with regard to playoff or play-in spots, some sort of changes will certainly be made. For starters, the venue for the semifinals and the final might not be Las Vegas next year. The league still hasn’t decided whether Vegas will permanently host the games or not.

Another change could be regarding the point differential. We saw a lot of players like Jayson Tatum express their displeasure regarding it, as it led to teams running up the score to improve their point differential. Many weren’t fans of those colorful courts either, so expect some sort of change.

We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.

Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.

Follow on Google News

Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We appreciate your support.

Share This Article
Facebook Email Copy Link Print
ByGautam Varier
Follow:
Gautam Varier is a staff writer and columnist for Fadeaway World from Mumbai, India. He graduated from Symbiosis International University with a Master of Business specializing in Sports Management in 2020. This educational achievement enables Gautam to apply sophisticated analytical techniques to his incisive coverage of basketball, blending business acumen with sports knowledge.Before joining Fadeaway World in 2022, Gautam honed his journalistic skills at Sportskeeda and SportsKPI, where he covered a range of sports topics with an emphasis on basketball. His passion for the sport was ignited after witnessing the high-octane offense of the Steve Nash-led Phoenix Suns. Among the Suns, Shawn Marion stood out to Gautam as an all-time underrated NBA player. Marion’s versatility as a defender and his rebounding prowess, despite being just 6’7”, impressed Gautam immensely. He admired Marion’s finishing ability at the rim and his shooting, despite an unconventional jump shot, believing that Marion’s skill set would have been even more appreciated in today’s NBA.This transformative experience not only deepened his love for basketball but also shaped his approach to sports writing, enabling him to connect with readers through vivid storytelling and insightful analysis.
Previous Article LeBron James Has Won 9 Straight Winner-Take-All Games, Hasn’t Lost Since 2008
Next Article Taylor Rooks On Why Jaylen Brown And Other NBA Stars Say Wild Things When She Interviews Them
Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Newsletter

Stay up to date with our newsletter on the latest news, trends, ranking lists, and evergreen articles

Newsletter
Facebook X-twitter Instagram

You Might Also Like

Warriors guard Stephen Curry and wife Ayesha Curry during the 2022 NBA All-Star Saturday Night at Rocket Mortgage Field House
Golden State Warriors News & Analysis

Ayesha Curry Never Wanted Kids; Claims Stephen Curry Doesn’t Understand Her Career Goals

October 4, 2025
Lakers center Deandre Ayton during media day at UCLA Health Training Center
Los Angeles Lakers News & Analysis

Deandre Ayton After Recording Two Blocks But Only Two Shot Attempts In His Lakers Preseason Debut:

October 4, 2025
San Antonio Spurs News & Analysis

5 Goals For Spurs Superstar Victor Wembanyama In 2025-26 NBA Season

October 2, 2025
Every NBA Team's Best Starting Lineup Since 2000
NBA News & Analysis

Every NBA Team’s Best Starting Lineup Since 2000

October 3, 2025

NBA - Fadeaway World

  • Atlanta Hawks
  • Boston Celtics
  • Brooklyn Nets
  • Charlotte Hornets
  • Chicago Bulls
  • Cleveland Cavaliers
  • Dallas Mavericks
  • Denver Nuggets
  • Detroit Pistons
  • Golden State Warriors
  • Houston Rockets
  • Indiana Pacers
  • Los Angeles Clippers
  • Los Angeles Lakers
  • Memphis Grizzlies
  • Miami Heat
  • Milwaukee Bucks
  • Minnesota Timberwolves
  • New Orleans Pelicans
  • New York Knicks
  • Oklahoma City Thunder
  • Orlando Magic
  • Philadelphia 76ers
  • Phoenix Suns
  • Portland Trail Blazers
  • Sacramento Kings
  • San Antonio Spurs
  • Toronto Raptors
  • Utah Jazz
  • Washington Wizards

Pages

  • NBA Trade Rumors
  • NBA Media
  • Exclusive NBA Interviews
  • NBA 2K News & Updates

© 2025 Fadeaway World @ All Rights Reserved

  • About Fadeaway World
  • Fadeaway World Authors
  • Editorial Team
  • Ethics Policy
  • Corrections Policy
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Fact-Checking Policy
  • Contact Us
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?