Adam Silver has a significant problem and needs to figure out a solution.
The NBA, perhaps more than any other league, is driven by stars. People watch games and buy tickets to see their favorite players. In the NFL, the uniforms matter more than individuals. Baseball and hockey have primarily regional allegiances, with hometown fans generally tuning in and turning out even when the team’s record is subpar.
The NBA is different because fans who don’t have a rooting interest in a team want to see an all-time great. Steph Curry, LeBron James, Nikola Jokić, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Dončić, Kevin Durant, etc., bring in television viewers and sell tickets. The NBA is a great product when those guys are playing. Unfortunately for Silver, the stars of his league aren’t playing enough due to injuries.
The NBA commissioner has found himself on the defensive lately. Earlier this week, Silver downplayed the league’s injury woes. He said, “All I can deal with is the data itself. So far this season, our data show we have the fewest injuries in the last three years.
“I’ll stop there and say, regardless where the level of injuries stands versus prior years, of course the soft tissue injuries concern us. All injuries concern us, for that matter. The most frustrating issue right now, and the one that we have seemingly the least control over, is keeping star players on the floor.”
Silver made his comments before the NBA Cup final in Las Vegas. They also came after the NBA refuted a story by John Hollinger of The Athletic suggesting that the league’s dense early-season schedule to accommodate the NBA Cup has contributed to players’ injuries.
Long-time NBA writer Tom Haberstroh countered Silver’s assertions that overall injuries are at a three-year low. He responded on X by writing that “games lost due to those injuries has increased by 30%.” He used data from injury analyst Jeff Stotts to make his argument.
Adam Silver said the *number* of overall injuries are at a three-year low. But I think fans care more about this figure: Games lost due to those injuries has increased by 30%.
GAMES LOST DUE TO INJURY THRU WK 8
Per @InStreetClothes
2023-24: 1,579
2024-25: 1,962
2025-26: 2,062 https://t.co/KJeIupiuGM
— Tom Haberstroh (@tomhaberstroh) December 17, 2025
Regardless of what you believe, there is a real problem when the viewers check out a game and don’t know whether they’re favorite players are going to play. Seeing Victor Wembanyama, who recently returned to action after missing 12 games because of a left calf strain, in street clothes is a bummer. You can’t blame individual franchises for being extra cautious with their most valuable employees. As Haberstroh pointed out, calf strain can lead to an Achilles tendon tear, a far more serious injury. Players returning from a torn Achilles are rarely the same.
This isn’t just a regular-season issue. The wear and tear on these bodies can affect the playoffs. Last season, Jayson Tatum, Tyrese Haliburton, and Damian Lillard tore their Achilles in the postseason. If any one of those guys remained healthy, the outcome of the NBA Finals might have looked different.
Silver is right in saying, “There are no silver bullets here.” However, there are some reasonable steps that the league can take to minimize risk. Having healthy players is obviously critical to the NBA’s long-term health. There needs to be serious discussions about the league’s regular-season schedule. Does this mean reducing the number of games from 82, or at least adding more off days so bodies can rest and heal? Maybe. That’s common sense, but it might not make financial sense.
Silver has previously rejected the idea that the 82-game regular season contributes to more postseason injuries. These aren’t easy decisions. But Silver is paid handsomely to make hard choices and find solutions.