NBA commissioner Adam Silver remains optimistic that the league can reach an agreement with EuroLeague despite recent disagreements over the future of European basketball.
Speaking to CNBC in Macao, where the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks opened the 2026 NBA China Games, Silver dismissed suggestions that negotiations had reached a particularly difficult stage.
“It’s like any negotiation. It’s ongoing,” Silver told CNBC in Macao, where the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks opened the 2026 NBA China Games on Friday. “I think it’s too extreme to say it’s a rough patch. We’ve been going back and forth with EuroLeague.”
Silver acknowledged EuroLeague’s position as Europe’s leading international club competition, while emphasizing the complexity of the continent’s basketball structure.
“They’re the existing pan-regional league right now in Europe,” he added. “On top of that, there are leagues in every country. It’s hard to believe there are 1,200 professional clubs in Europe.”
Despite EuroLeague shareholders reportedly rejecting the NBA’s latest proposal, Silver believes cooperation between the organizations remains possible.
“So, EuroLeague is the top-tier competition right now. We’re going forward with what we’re calling NBA Europe, and we’re hoping we’ll work something out with the EuroLeague. I think we will.”
[td_flex_block_1 category_id="" custom_title="MORE FOR YOU" header_color="#e91e63" td_filter_default_txt="" tag_slug="" sort="random_7_day" tdc_css="eyJhbGwiOnsicGFkZGluZy10b3AiOiIxMCIsInBhZGRpbmctcmlnaHQiOiIxNSIsInBhZGRpbmctYm90dG9tIjoiMTAiLCJwYWRkaW5nLWxlZnQiOiIxNSIsImJhY2tncm91bmQtY29sb3IiOiIjZmZmNGU4IiwiZGlzcGxheSI6IiIsIi0tdGRiLXNjcm9sbC1hbmltIjoibm9uZSJ9fQ==" mx3f_title_font_transform="" mx3f_title_font_weight="700" title_tag="h3" m_padding="eyJhbGwiOiIxMnB4IDBweCAxMnB4IDBweCIsInBob25lIjoiMXB4IDBweCAxMnB4IDBweCJ9" all_modules_space="0" video_popup="" image_size="td_218x150" image_height="72" image_width="35" image_floated="float_left" image_radius="4" autoplay_vid="" show_vid_t="none" modules_category="image" modules_category_margin="5px" modules_extra_cat="hide" show_author="none" show_date="none" show_com="none" show_review="none" show_excerpt="none" show_audio="none" show_btn="none" f_title_font_size="15" f_title_font_line_height="1.25" f_title_font_weight="600" f_title_font_spacing="-0.2" cat_bg="#e16e00" modules_divider="solid" category_ids="-4430,-5489" show_cat="none" modules_on_row="50%" limit="4" modules_gap="10" meta_padding="0px 0px 0px 10px" meta_info_align=""]When asked whether the NBA would proceed with its European league without EuroLeague’s participation, Silver confirmed that the project would move forward regardless.
“Yes, but we’re going to get something worked out with them.”
According to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews, EuroLeague shareholders are expected to prepare a counteroffer following their recent meeting in Lake Como.
Although the NBA’s latest proposal reportedly represented an improvement over earlier terms, significant differences remain between the two sides.
Negotiations are expected to continue in the coming weeks.
