NBA Cup Could Move Further Into Season, Play Just Final In Vegas And Be Carried By Amazon

The NBA Cup is still in its early stages, but it’s already clear that the league is thinking about ways to tweak and refine the tournament.

Several ideas have been floated, and while nothing’s set in stone, there’s no question it could see some changes, as relayed by Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

One of the biggest being discussed is the possibility of playing the semifinals at home sites before finishing up with a championship game in Las Vegas. This would mirror the UEFA Champions League setup, where teams play at home in the semifinals, with the final being held at a neutral site.

The downside to this, of course, is teams with multi-use arenas would have to find a way to keep their venues open for extra games, which could be a logistical headache. So while it sounds good in theory, it’s not as simple as it seems.

Then there’s the future of the NBA Cup’s broadcast rights. After TNT and ESPN split hosting duties in the first two seasons, Amazon is set to take over for the quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final,

There’s also some buzz about shifting the tournament further into the regular season, though that’s still up in the air. Botnemps reported it’s possible, but not likely, that we’d see any significant changes next season.

Still, it’s clear the league is thinking about ways to make the tournament better, whether it’s through timing or overall structure.

Another major change that could be coming sooner rather than later is expanding the group stage from four to eight games. The argument is simple: the more games you play, the better the odds the top teams make it to the knockout rounds.

Last year, the West’s top five teams all missed out, and this year, the East’s best –Cleveland and Boston — were also eliminated early. A longer group stage would give the best teams more opportunities to prove themselves — which seems like a no-brainer, especially if you want to avoid another scenario where the top contenders don’t even make it out of the group stage.

The NBA has shown it’s willing to adjust on the fly, as evidenced the changes made to the knockout rounds after last year’s inaugural event. The Cup’s format and structure will continue to evolve as the league looks to maximize its value for teams, players, and fans alike.

As Evan Wasch, the NBA’s VP of Basketball Strategy, told Bontemps: “We’re always looking at ways to improve the experience for our teams, players, fans, and partners.” No major overhauls are guaranteed yet, but make no mistake: the NBA Cup is still a work in progress, and changes are coming.

Whether it’s adjustments to the schedule or tweaks to the format, the league is ready to try to fine-tune the tournament to make it a bigger and better part of the NBA season. Whether you care or not, well, that’s a different matter entirely.