After years of talk, the NBA is adding an in-season tournament to their agenda.
On Friday night, the league struck a new deal with the NBA players association.
Among the agreements in the new deal, the NBA will get an in-season tournament that commissioner Adam Silver has been pushing for years.
Deal includes In-Season Tournament, 65-game minimum for postseason awards, new limitations on highest spending teams and expanded opportunities for trades and free agency for mid and smaller team payrolls, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/B8GJWeF4cq
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 1, 2023
Via ESPN
The in-season tournament could arrive as soon as the 2023-24 season. The event will include pool-play games baked into the regular-season schedule starting in November — with eight teams advancing to a single-elimination tournament in December. The Final Four will be held at a neutral site, with Las Vegas prominent in the discussion, sources said.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the winning team in the tournament will get $500,000 per player.
Prize money for the championship team of the NBA's In-Season Tournament beginning in 2023-24 season: $500,000 per player, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 1, 2023
Fans did not smee thrilled over the in-season tournament becoming a reality.
“G-League Invitation In-Season Tournament because you are crazy as hell if you think this is for the guys who are about to make a league minimum of 20 million very soon.” said one fan.
“In-Season Tournament gotta be the dumbest thing i’ve ever heard of” said another fan on Twitter.
The first in-season tournament could come by next season and it’ll be interesting to see how it plays out.
