Adam Silver denies having veto power on Luka Doncic trade controversy

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has seen quite an eventful 2024-25 season, which will forever be remembered as the season when the Luka Doncic trade went down. Now, Silver has gone on record as saying that he had no power to override that blockbuster deal.

Appearing on Monday’s episode of the “Club 520” podcast, the 63-year-old Commissioner was asked by host Jeff Teague about what the league office does when a trade of that magnitude is on the verge of happening. In response, Silver took the opportunity to quash a misconception about his seat of power.

“One of the misnomers out there is that I have the power to disapprove a trade. I don’t,” Silver said.

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Silver, who took over the role of Commissioner in February 2014, went on to clarify the league office's actual role in facilitating trades.

"Before the trade is known publicly, it gets called into the league office," he explained. "Both teams have to get on the phone. Lawyers and people in basketball operations literally line up the contract."

Silver went on to characterize the Doncic trade as "a good example where the teams are very secretive." According to the Commissioner, he found out about the deal just hours before the public did.

"That wasn't a player move that people were talking about or shows like yours were talking about," Silver told Teague. "I was surprised, from that standpoint."

It's certainly possible that a trade even bigger than the Doncic deal will happen during Silver's regime. But, even then, it's extremely unlikely that the Commissioner will have the power to stop such a trade from happening.]

Adam Silver shares honest feelings about All-Star Game format: "We have not put our best foot forward"

Later on in the podcast, Silver was asked about his ideas for the next edition of the NBA All-Star Game. The Commissioner openly admitted that the All-Star Game has room for improvement.

"We have not put our best foot forward," Silver said. "The players recognize that, we recognize that." [Timestamp - 32:37]

Silver added that the league is looking into adapting the international format that hockey fans saw in the NHL's "4 Nations Face-Off."

However, he expressed his hesitation about doing a strictly "USA vs. The World" matchup, given that only 30% of the league's players come from other countries while the rest hail from the United States.

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About the author

Simoun Victor Redoblado

Simoun Victor Redoblado is an NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda with over 12 years of experience writing for publications such as Collider, ALL-STAR Magazine, and Sir Charles in Charge.

Simoun has a bachelor's degree in Secondary Education, Major in English and Minor in journalism. Thanks to the journalism courses that he took, Simoun understood the fundamentals of journalistic storytelling in the context of sports writing.

Passionate for the UP Fighting Maroons, Simoun is a fan of the NBA, PBA, UAAP, and FIBA.
His childhood team was the Chicago Bulls and Simoun was a longtime supporter of the Houston Rockets because his friends would say he looked like Yao Ming.

Simoun loves the systematic, tactical movement of the ball and the players, the stories behind each individual competing on the hardcourt and most of all, how basketball is a sport for life and all its struggles and lessons.

A father of two, Simoun spends his free time with his kids.

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