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A wave of injuries to prominent players early in the 2026-27 NBA season has sparked debate over how the league might curb the growing number of sidelined stars. One proposal that has surfaced is trimming game length from 48 minutes to 40, and NBA commissioner Adam Silver is said to be in favor of the idea, according to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated.
During a recent appearance with NBA reporter Rachel Nichols, Mannix shared what he has heard about Silver's stance. "What I've heard, he likes the idea of 40-minute games," Mannix said. Yet Mannix quickly raised doubts about the practicality of such a shift. "I just don't see financially how it's feasible," he explained, adding that the change would not reduce the workload of star players. "Like I said, it's not going to affect the minutes of stars. We're just going to see bench guys get more and more marginalized to the point where teams are gonna be like, we don't need a 15-man rotation, we just need like 10 guys, we'll keep a bunch of roster spots open."
Mannix also dismissed the notion of cutting the number of games played as unrealistic, while conceding that the league must address the injury problem in some way.
Key Analysis
The injury list is already extensive just three weeks into the regular season, with Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, Toronto Raptors guard Kawhi Leonard, Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, Oklahoma City Thunder players Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams, and Portland Trail Blazers guard Ja Morant all currently out. Proposals such as shortening the regular season, reducing the preseason, and cutting game length have all been floated, and Mannix believes the NBA should take a proactive approach.
Originally reported by yahoo.