Adam Silver on Kevin Durant’s move to the Warriors: ‘I don’t think it’s good for the league’

Adam Silver said Wednesday he completely respects Kevin Durant’s right to join the Golden State Warriors as a free agent this off-season.

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 a television attraction,” Silver said Tuesday after the league’s board of governors meeting. “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 off-season, 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, but either side can opt next off-season as long as it lets the other know of any intentions by Dec. 15.

“The good news is that we are in a collective bargaining cycle, so it gives everybody an opportunity — owners and the union — to sit down behind closed doors and take a fresh look at the system and see if there is a better way that we can do it,” Silver said. “My belief is we can make it better.”

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