NBA Commissioner Adam Silver "Not Surprised" the Trail Blazers Rebuilt

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver sat down with Mike Barrett and Mike Rice of Blazers Broadcasting during the third quarter of tonight's Portland Trail Blazers-Dallas Mavericks game. Here are the highlights of their question and answer session.

On whether he's happy with the state of the game...

Silver indicated that he likes the pace, tempo, and fluidity of the current NBA game, crediting Jerry Coangelo for the hand-checking rule changes a decade ago.

On the transition from David Stern's regime to his...

Silver reminded listeners that he'd worked in the league for decades before becoming commissioner. He's doing many of the same things now that he did then, just with a higher profile. He praised Stern for the state in which he left the NBA.

On instant replay...

Adding NBA officials to the replay facility was a positive move. The league is still striking the balance between getting calls right and game flow. Silver claimed that they could probably get 100% of calls correct, but that the process would take 6 hours. They're figuring out the balance.

On seeming parity between the Eastern and Western Conferences this year...

Silver reminded Mike and Mike that the East has a better head-to-head record so far. As commissioner, he'd like to see all 30 teams competing or at least having a chance to compete. He wants good management to determine success more than market size or geography. Advances in the league's Collective Bargaining Agreement and clever use of social media make this easier.

(At this point the broadcasters diverged into a discussion of social media marketing, indicating that players could build their own brands now, allowing Silver to reiterate his point...an easy sell in a market the size of Portland with a star player as charismatic as Damian Lillard.)

On whether he was surprised at Portland's radical rebuild...

Silver paused for a second, then chose his words carefully before indicating that no, he wasn't surprised. He said that every franchise goes through rebuilding phases, credited Paul Allen as a veteran owner, and indicated he was please the Blazers were rebuilding without bottoming out. He said he thinks the Blazers are doing a good job.

On Kobe Bryant's retirement...

Mike Rice began this discussion with speculation about Dirk Nowitzki retiring, but the topic quickly moved to Bryant's recent announcement.

Silver claimed he got the news about Bryant along with everybody else on Sunday. He evidenced some surprise but credited it as a smart move. He spoke about the need for a good mix of rookies, up-and-coming players, and veterans. He and the broadcast crew used Kevin Garnett's return to the Minnesota Timberwolves as an example of how it's supposed to work. As their talent ebbs, players pass on their wisdom to the next generation.

On his sightseeing in Portland...

The commissioner toured the Trail Blazers practice facility along with the Moda Center. He cited Portland as an example of a new trend: practice quarters becoming like social clubs or retreat centers, hubs of player interaction. Players eat there, hang out, and converse as well as practice. This is how trust gets built.

When questioned by Rice, Silver indicated that he had not visited Voodoo Doughnuts.