NBA made $10B last season, exceeding expectations

With new CBA negotiations likely around the corner, the NBA is unquestionably in a good situation, Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe writes. NBA owners and the NBPA could opt out of their current labor contract in December. The league made $10B last season, which is more than what was expected.

“The numbers did surprise me to a certain degree because they exceeded our projections,” commissioner Adam Silver said. “So to the extent our projections represent where we think our business was going, surpassing $10B in revenue clearly is a record for this league. 

“I think it’s quite remarkable from where we came only 2½ years ago when the future of this industry was in question, in part because of the pandemic and also people questioning whether people would want to continue to assemble in arenas and stadiums the way they are.”

Here are some other odds and ends from around the basketball universe:

• Former NBA player C.J. Williams has penned a deal in Israel with Ironi Ness Ziona, the team announced on social media. Williams most recently played in Turkey. He appeared in 53 games with the Clippers and Timberwolves from 2017-19.
• Free agent guard Marcus Paige has signed in Spain with Obradoiro, the team announced. Paige holds NBA experience with the Hornets and played in France last year, averaging 9.9 points and 3.4 assists per game.
• Zach Lowe of ESPN.com examines why potential Kevin Durant and Donovan Mitchell trades could expand an unprecedented trend in the NBA. Deals involving Durant and Mitchell will likely involve several first-round picks, just as the Jazz-Timberwolves trade involving Rudy Gobert did.