Adam Silver deserves a round of applause. The NBA commissioner made sure his next champion will not carry an asterisk into eternity.
He also proved that David Stern owes Phoenix a huge apology.
Don’t hold your breath.
Silver’s office proved that the NBA can be pragmatic and reasonable, not punitive and tyrannical, when disciplining wayward players during the postseason. Silver’s office could have easily suspended Golden State’s Draymond Green for kicking an Oklahoma City player in a very private area during Game 3 of the Western Conference finals. People have been arrested for less.
He refused because he didn’t want the outcome of a pivotal Game 4 tainted by the absence of a star player, thus putting the commissioner and his rules above the good of the sport.