This coming season, the NBA will institute an in-season tournament, and it is a change that has people divided.
There are some that like the idea, but others question the move and why it is even necessary.
The four teams that survive the initial rounds will participate in the semifinals, and the two victorious teams will then play for the championship.
The semifinals and championship will take place in Las Vegas, and every player on the team that wins will receive $500,000.
But analyst Bobby Marks feels there should be an even bigger reward for winning this tournament — an automatic bid into the NBA playoffs.
“I’d love to see the winner get an automatic bid into the playoffs.”
Bobby Marks on the one thing he would like to see in the NBA’s In-Season Tournament pic.twitter.com/ebzDAVKVsi
— Oh no he didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) August 15, 2023
Proponents of the in-season tournament say it will generate higher regular-season ratings and attendance while creating more revenue for the league and its teams.
However, it is very possible that teams and players will not take it seriously, at least for a while.
Realistically, it could take many years for the idea of winning the in-season tournament to carry any weight among NBA players.
Ratings for the league are already strong, and viewership for this past season’s playoffs was as high as it has been in a few years.
With the trend of players sitting out games for “load management,” one has to wonder if they will duck these in-season tournament games in order to get some extra rest and reduce their risk of injury.
But in time, as the tournament becomes more entrenched, it could perhaps serve its purpose of creating a little more excitement early in the NBA’s regular season.
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