**NEW YORK** — NBA commissioner Adam Silver reportedly likes the idea of shortening games from 48 to 40 minutes, a bold initiative designed to protect the health of superstar athletes while ensuring America's most vulnerable television commercials remain completely unaffected.
According to Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix, Silver is interested in adopting four 10-minute quarters, bringing the NBA closer to international basketball standards.
Mannix identified two minor complications: the financial implications and the possibility that absolutely none of the eliminated minutes would belong to star players.
Instead, the eight missing minutes would likely come from bench players, many of whom are already receiving playing time in quantities normally measured with laboratory equipment.
Under the proposed hypothetical arrangement, starters would continue playing 35 minutes while reserves would enjoy a revolutionary new role: attending the game.
Teams could reportedly reduce their rotations to 10 players, allowing the remaining five roster spots to become premium advertising opportunities.
Meanwhile, league executives are allegedly exploring ways to remove eight minutes of basketball while preserving every timeout, commercial break, sponsored replay, and promotional segment explaining why a particular insurance company understands teamwork.
Silver previously expressed support for four 10-minute quarters in January 2025, citing modern television habits and concerns about player workload.
No official rule-change proposal has been introduced.
The league remains committed to protecting its stars, improving the viewing experience, and ensuring fans spend less time watching basketball without necessarily spending less time watching basketball broadcasts.
For now, the NBA's 48-minute format remains unchanged.
The league hasn't decided which eight minutes to eliminate.
The advertisers have already been assured they won't be theirs.
