Adam Silver would join CBA negotiations if necessary

Following the original Oct. 31 deadline to get a new deal done, the WNBA and the players agreed to an extension of the deadline, with a new date of Jan. 9 to come to an agreement on a new CBA. As the CBA negotiations have continued, it’s become increasingly clear that both the WNBA and the players remain far apart in talks. That prompted NBA commissioner Adam Silver to acknowledge that he might enter the WBA CBA negotiations if he felt it was necessary, as per Annie Costabile of Front Office Sports.

Speaking to media prior to the NBA Cup championship game on Tuesday, Adam Silver remained optimistic that a new WNBA CBA would get done amid ongoing negotiations.

“We’re available to do whatever is necessary to help get a deal done,” Silver said. “I’m encouraged by the fact they extended the deadline once again in to January. Presumably the sides wouldn’t have been willing to do that unless they thought there was a constructive path to getting a deal done.”

Amid a major increase in both popularity and revenue, the WNBA is on the verge of what can be a historic CBA. While salary and revenue have been at the forefront of the negotiations between the players union and the league, those are not the only issues that are important to the players.

Other factors such as parental care and mental health care have been key issues as well on the players’ side. And one intriguing proposal brought up by the WNBPA is the creation of two developmental roster spots for each team in addition to the current maximum of 12 players allowed. That would presumably help ease the burden of in-season injuries and give WNBA coaches more to work with.