The NBA didn’t have an especially great All-Star Game in 2023. While we’ve seen some good ones in recent years due to some new additions like the Elam Ending and a pair of captains picking teams, this one was a bit of a stinker, with the players clearly coasting through the entire game en route to a 184-175 win for Team Giannis over Team LeBron.
Apparently, the level of effort that players exert has been a point of contention for folks in the league as the new Collective Bargaining Agreement is being put together. According to Shams Charania and Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic, the NBA and the NBPA are considering going back to the East vs. West format, as there is a concerted effort to try and make the All-Star Game more competitive.
The NBA is considering changing the All-Star Game format from the current Player Draft to Eastern vs. Western conference, among other concepts, sources tell me and @MikeVorkunov. It has been topic of discussion at recent Board of Governor and GM meetings after this year’s ASG.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 19, 2023
NBA and NBPA agreed in recent months to have talks about increased competitiveness in the All-Star Game as part of new collective bargaining agreement, sources said. Changes could come for the 2023-24 season. https://t.co/gQHni8oBLb
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 19, 2023
It’s unclear if the Elam Ending, which was adopted in 2020 and has given the league a pair of excellent games in 2020 and 2022, would stay. The NBA used the East vs. West format for years before going to the current format, in which a pair of captains from each conference select teams from a pool of players. This year, the league added a twist to that by having the draft happen live in the arena before the game tipped off.