NBA moving toward AI-automated officiating system to eliminate replay delays, Adam Silver says

The NBA’s primetime merchandise has go progressively hard to watch, and Commissioner Adam Silver is yet waking up to the issue.

During an quality connected "The Pat McAfee Show" connected Wednesday, Silver confirmed the league is moving toward automation successful its officiating, peculiarly for nonsubjective replay calls that routinely dilatory games to a crawl during the playoffs.

Or arsenic we each cognize it: flopping.

"I deliberation successful presumption of replay, we’re going to get to the constituent reasonably rapidly where, for example, connected out-of-bounds plays … those kinds of calls volition go automatic," Silver told McAfee.

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"We’re going to determination to a strategy similar that wherever that full class of calls volition beryllium automated," Silver explained.

"Those calls volition beryllium handled by an AI automated strategy with cameras lined astir the court. It’ll beryllium instantaneous and automatic."

Silver hopes automation volition destruct replay delays.

Additionally, fans person been progressively frustrated with foul baiting, and flopping continues to amusement up connected the hardwood during the Western Conference playoffs, specifically.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver speaks during a property league astatine the 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend astatine Intuit Dome successful Inglewood, Calif., connected Feb. 14, 2026. (Ryan Sirius Sun/Getty Images)

At the halfway of overmuch of that disapproval is Oklahoma City Thunder prima Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

SGA’s playoff tally has highlighted the NBA’s increasing embellishment problem, wherever astir drives look to diagnostic exaggerated caput snaps oregon flailing arms.

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Silver besides acknowledged the vexation astir foul baiting.

"I would lone accidental there’s a quality betwixt selling a call, exaggeration, and a existent flop," Silver said.

"If they’re not fooling the referees, it’s much similar players being taught to merchantability calls these days."

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder watches during the 4th fourth of Game Five against the San Antonio Spurs successful the NBA Western Conference Finals astatine Paycom Center successful Oklahoma City connected May 26, 2026. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

"Because there’s often interaction connected each play," Silver noted.

"That doesn’t needfully mean there’s a foul."

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"I deliberation exertion is truly going to beryllium adjuvant here," helium added.

For years, the NBA has tilted officiating rules toward violative players.

Carrying violations are hardly enforced, moving screens hap successful plain show and defenders often get punished for breathing successful the aforesaid zip codification arsenic the ballhandler.

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NBA Commissioner Adam Silver speaks to media aft the 75th NBA All-Star Game astatine Intuit Dome connected Feb. 15, 2026. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

Silver’s comments made it beauteous evident the NBA is looking for exertion to cleanable up immoderate of the chaos that has taken implicit its playoff product.

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