Simmons Accuses Silver of "Greed" as NBA's Shorter-Season Debate Reignites

The debate over the length of the NBA season has flared up again, with prominent podcaster Bill Simmons accusing commissioner Adam Silver of putting money ahead of player health. Simmons, a long-time advocate of a shorter schedule, said continuing to insist on an 82-game regular season amid the current injury wave is irresponsible, using the words negligence and greed to describe the league's stance. Reports put the scale of the problem at roughly 85 players sidelined recently, around 15 per cent of the league, with extended absences threatening award eligibility under the 65-game minimum and reshaping the early NBA Cup race. Simmons pointed to the money at stake, noting the league expects an estimated 16 billion dollars in expansion fees from Las Vegas and Seattle franchises due in 2028-29, and argued that financial strength makes reform affordable. Separately, Sports Illustrated reporter Chris Mannix said Silver likes the idea of shortening games from 48 to 40 minutes, a preference amplified across outlets this week. That remains only a reported preference: the rulebook still specifies four 12-minute quarters, and any change would require formal league approval. For now, the argument is about load, not a rule change.