Lakers vs Heat Game 1: Live Score and Updates

N.B.A. Commissioner Adam Silver said the league ‘can do better’ on diversity.

Silver acknowledged in a pregame news conference that the league “can do better” when it comes to hiring of Black head coaches.

“I don’t see a way to operate a league where the league office, the commissioner, is dictating to a team who they should or shouldn’t hire. Or who they should and shouldn’t fire, frankly,” Silver said in response to a question about whether the league should institute its own version of the Rooney rule — the N.F.L. policy that teams must interview people of color for coaching positions.

In the last year, several Black coaches have been dismissed or resigned, including Doc Rivers, who mutually parted ways with the Los Angeles Clippers this week. There are five more head coach openings in Philadelphia, Indiana, New Orleans, Houston and Oklahoma City. White coaches have filled previous openings this season with the Knicks, Nets and Bulls.

“We’re in discussions with all of those teams about making sure there’s a diverse slate of candidates,” Silver said, adding, “Let’s talk again after we fill these six positions and see where we are because I know we can do better.”

Silver also said at the news conference that many of the details for next season were still up in the air. He reiterated that the earliest start would be Christmas — “a traditional tentpole day for the league” — but that it was more likely to begin in January. He also said it was the league’s goal to have fans in seats, even before a vaccine has been widely distributed, “dependent on some additional advancements.”

“Rapid testing may be the key here,” Silver said.

The Lakers haven’t won a championship in 10 years.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/30/sports/basketball/lakers-heat-live-game-1.html