In the wake of the surprising swap between the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers, many called for NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to “veto” the deal—a move that has only happened once before, under very different circumstances during David Stern’s tenure. At that time, Stern acted in the interest of the New Orleans Hornets, as the league owned the team.
Speaking on Pardon My Take, Silver clarified that the NBA front office’s role in trades is simply to ensure contracts comply “under the confines of the collective bargaining agreement” and that they do not influence roster decisions beyond that.
“Did you at least text [GM Nico Harrison], ‘Are you sure?'” cohost Big Cat joked, referencing Dallas’ frequent criticism in basketball front-office discussions. Silver shook his head before being asked if he was pleased about Doncic moving to a large market like Los Angeles—an idea he pushed back on.
“Look at the league right now… two smaller market teams… have the two best records in the league… and I think that’s great. We’ve had six different NBA champions in the past six years… This may sound obvious, but I want all of our teams to do well and be competitive, and frankly, Dallas is a big market. So, was I surprised from that standpoint that he was traded? Yeah, I’m a fan… teams don’t necessarily give the league inside information… so this trade wasn’t one that I saw coming.”
Silver’s comments reinforced the idea that the Mavericks’ front office acted independently, dismissing conspiracy theories about league interference. While some may have issues with Silver for various reasons, there is no clear indication that the NBA engaged in collusion regarding this trade.
