NBA commissioner says Kevin Durant's move to Warriors not good for league

Adam Silver said Wednesday he completely respects Kevin Durant’s right to join the Warriors as a free agent this offseason.

But the NBA commissioner admitted he kind of wishes the 2014 league MVP hadn’t done so, joining two-time reigning MVP Stephen Curry and fellow superstars Klay Thompson and Draymond Green on a team that won the championship in 2015 and a league-record 73 regular-season games last season.

“I’ve read some stories that the league wants this notion of two ‘super teams’ that is a huge television attraction,” Silver said Tuesday. “I don’t think it’s good for the league, just to be clear.”

He expanded on the topic: “I do not think that’s ideal from the league standpoint. For me, part of it is designing a collective bargaining agreement that encourages the distribution of great players throughout the league.

“On the other hand, I absolutely respect a player’s right to become a free agent and, in this case, for Kevin Durant to make a decision that he feels is best for him. I have no idea what’s in his mind or heart in terms of how he went about making that decision.”

This offseason, the league salary cap jumped from $70 million to $90 million, creating what Silver hopes was a one-time opportunity for a team like Golden State to add yet another superstar. But he added that he hopes to adjust the collective bargaining agreement to avoid such a situation in the future. The current agreement runs through June 30, 2021.