Adam Silver admits ‘frustration’ at other networks’ coverage to Prime Video’s NBA Cup crew

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver was extremely pleased with Prime Video's coverage of the 2025 NBA Cup, making sure to praise the team during an on-court interview after the New York Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs to win the championship. In the process, Silver admitted to being “frustrated” about some of the NBA coverage in the past on other networks.

“As a fan, I think you do a great job educating other fans about the game. Because that I would say has frustrated me in the past about some coverage when it's sort of reduced to one side wanted it more or this side played harder,” Silver said.

While Silver didn't name names, some fans will surely take this as a jab at coverage on ESPN and TNT in recent years. The NBA is no longer on TNT, with Inside the NBA moving to ESPN and coverage returning to NBC and also premiering on Peacock.

While there have been some concerns that moving marquee games to streaming platforms would dilute interest, the numbers don't seem to bear that out so far. Saturday night’s NBA Cup Semifinals averaged 1.67 million viewers on Prime Video, a 14% increase over last year, while the doubleheader generated more than 400 million social media views across platforms, a 126% year-over-year jump. For Silver and the NBA, these numbers matter as much as the trophy.

Adam Silver addresses future of NBA Cup, league expansion

Before the Knicks beat the Spurs, Silver revealed the league is open to moving the NBA Cup championship away from Las Vegas in future years, with “storied college arenas” among the options under consideration. Beginning next season, semifinal games will be hosted by top seeds, further reshaping the tournament’s identity.

While the Cup dominated the spotlight, Silver also provided the clearest timeline yet for domestic expansion, saying the league will determine that in 2026. Las Vegas and Seattle remain the leading candidates if the NBA grows from 30 to 32 teams.

“It’s not a secret we’re looking at this market in Las Vegas. We are looking at Seattle,” Silver said, noting the economic complexity of dividing league equity among additional franchises.

Silver touched on several other league matters, including optimism that the WNBA and its players will reach a new labor agreement, continued exploration of a potential NBA-backed league in Europe with FIBA, and his disappointment over how Chris Paul’s exit from the Los Angeles Clippers unfolded.

Still, the through line of Silver’s comments circled back to the NBA Cup, a tournament once met with skepticism that now stands as a centerpiece of the league’s future. With rising viewership, massive digital engagement, and a growing identity, the Cup has become Silver’s strongest rebuttal yet to critics of streaming and change.

Editor's Note: This story has been updated to better reflect the headline about Silver's “frustrated” comments on past NBA coverage. A quote mistakenly attributed to Silver has also been removed. ClutchPoints regrets the errors.