Silver expects NBA to talk Hack-a-Shaq solution
DALLAS — NBA commissioner Adam Silver told ESPN.com that he expects the league to have “full-throated conversations” this summer about potentially implementing rules to eliminate the Hack-a-Shaq strategy from the game.
Silver acknowledged the strategy of intentionally fouling poor free throw shooters, which originally started against retired superstar center Shaquille O’Neal, is not enjoyable to watch. However, Silver expressed the need for caution when considering changing the rules of the game.
“It’s something that I’m on the fence about,” Silver told ESPN.com minutes before tipoff of Friday’s Game 3 in the Dallas Mavericks–Houston Rockets series. “My thought used to be that we should definitely change the rule, and then having sat through several general managers meetings, competition meetings and having heard from some of the game’s very best, the view is the players should hit their free throws. That’s changed my view a little bit.
“Having said that, when I watch some of these games on television, frankly, it’s not great entertainment for our fans, and that’s important as well. What I’ve said is we have another general managers meeting coming up in May, we have a competition committee meeting in June and I’m sure it’s going to be a hot topic of discussion. Then, we have an owners meeting in July, so I think at all three of those meetings we’re going to be having full-throated conversations about what the right rules should be going forward.”
Silver, who replaced the retired David Stern as commissioner in February 2014, acknowledged that the discussion is “in part” about weighing the value of entertainment and strategy.
“But at the end of the day, it’s about the game,” Silver said. “I used to run something called NBA Entertainment, but I always remind myself in my job now as commissioner and managing the league office, it’s the game above all. So I think we have to [determine] what makes the most sense for the game.
“That’s why I’m sensitive about guys being able to make their free throws, and I also find that sometimes it’s a fascinating strategy. We’re very conservative when it comes to changing the rules of the game. That’s why changing the rules of the game requires more than the majority of the owners; it requires a super majority. So we’ve got to be very careful, but it is something that we’re looking at closely.”
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