What did Adam Silver say about NBA expansion? Commissioner gives latest along with comments on In-Season Tournament

Adam Silver joined NBC Sports Boston's broadcast announcers Mike Gorman and Brian Scalabrine on the courtside table. The NBA Commissioner discussed the possibility of expanding the league outside the US borders. He also gave feedback so far on the NBA In-Season Tournament.

Discussing the possibility of expanding the league internationally during the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks matchup, Silver said that the office is definitely giving it serious thought. Silver said that he was in Abu Dhabi this preseason and was excited about the possibility.

He also added that adding a team in Mexico is also an open option since it is easier for players to travel.

When asked about the possibility of expanding the league internationally, Silver had a positive response.

"Likely. It's interesting. It's a balance, because we also know the impact travel has on players, as well. So, to your point, I was in Abu Dhabi (this) preseason, it's a little easier for players' bodies because they have time to recover, especially when there are big time zone shifts. Mexico City is easy in terms of, I mean it's high altitude, it's 2,000 feet higher than Denver, so that affects the players a bit, but it's a shorter flight to Mexico City from New York than it is to LA, so...One day, I think that would be incredible to actually expand to a market like Mexico City."

So far, the league has hosted NBA preseason and regular games in 17 countries, and it has been a massive success in terms of the fan base showing up in the arena.

Last week, the Atlanta Hawks played against the Orlando Magic in Mexico City in front of 22,300 fans. It was a sold-out crowd. Moreover, viewership in Mexico has increased by 25 percent and is among the top 10 international countries with the most league pass subscriptions.

Adam Silver says In-Season Tournament has got positive response from fans

Adam Silver also talked about the newly introduced In-Season Tournament and said that the response has been excellent so far. The NBA Commissioner also addressed the newly designed court that is solely for the In-Season Tournament games.

"I think the response has been terrific," Silver added. "As I've said before, the courts may be an acquired taste for some, they're pretty distinctive so we may have to tweak them a bit, depending on the floor, but I like the fact that it's a very different experience when you tune in."

While it is true that the courts are distinctively different from the regular-season games, that helps fans to identify them. However, many fans haven’t been appreciative of the court designs.

In terms of attendance, Silver said that attendance has increased exponentially in the last week. He said that the players and the fans are paying attention to the In-Season Tournament games.

"The response in terms of attendance has been terrific," Silver continued. "Ratings, we were up over 100 percent the first weekend, we were up over 50 percent last week, so people are paying attention.”

The group stage of the tournament will run through November 28th. The knockout stage will start on December 4, and the NBA Trophy game will be held on December 9 in Las Vegas. Silver candidly added that coaches will get prize money, and announcers will also get bonuses.