Adam Silver used the Finals stage to put a little more weight behind the NBA Europe project.
Before Game 1 in San Antonio, Silver said the league is still "very much on schedule" with plans for a new European competition backed by the NBA and FIBA. The key update, via Mike Vorkunov's post, is the timeline: Silver said the NBA expects to be in position this fall to award franchises for NBA Europe.
The EuroLeague question is still the uncomfortable part. Silver said the NBA hopes it can integrate the new operation with EuroLeague, but he also made the line pretty clear: the league is prepared to move forward either way.
That matters because this is no longer just a vague global-growth quote. Reports around the project have pointed to a 16-team setup, a target launch in 2027, and final bids for permanent franchises due by the end of June. There is still plenty unresolved, including how existing European clubs fit in and whether NBA players such as Luka Doncic could eventually own teams.
For now, the signal is simple: NBA Europe is getting closer to the franchise-award stage, and Silver is not framing EuroLeague approval as a requirement.
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