Silver Confides in New CBA WNBA and Acknowledges Problems with Players

Adam Silver Confirms Collective Bargaining Agreement in the WNBA Despite Tensions

STAMFORD, Conn. – NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has confirmed that a new collective bargaining agreement will be reached with WNBA players, although he acknowledged the need to repair relationships following recent criticism of Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. These tensions reached their peak last week when Minnesota’s Napheesa Collier expressed harsh criticism of the league’s leadership. These statements threatened to overshadow the WNBA Finals between Las Vegas and Phoenix.

There’s no doubt that the WNBA is experiencing growing pains, and it’s unfortunate that this is happening right when their most important games and the Finals are being played. We’ve had two fantastic games so far, and we want to celebrate the game right now, and then we’ll have to sit down with the players and negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement.

Adam Silver

Engelbert has also stated that a new agreement will be reached, although not necessarily before the October 31 deadline. The league and players’ association negotiators are expected to meet this week. The players are seeking significant changes following the enormous growth of the WNBA in recent seasons, and some have expressed their frustration with Engelbert, although not with the same vehemence as Collier, who was the league’s MVP runner-up.

Cathy Engelbert has presided over historic growth in the league, but there is no doubt that there are issues we must address with our players, not just economic ones. There are also relationship issues. I am confident that we can solve them over time and that this league can continue on the upward trajectory it is currently on.

Adam Silver

Silver made these statements at NBC Sports headquarters, where the network’s return to broadcasting the league this season was discussed. It will also televise the WNBA Finals in 2026. Derek Fisher, former Lakers player and former president of the NBA Basketball Players Association in 2011, when the league and the union failed to reach an agreement on time, which reduced the season to 66 games, commented that it was unusual to see someone express themselves as Collier did during the negotiations, but he understood the reason.

It’s not the norm, but those were the feelings many times. Whenever you’re in the heat of negotiations, conversations, and high-stakes discussions, sometimes it gets to the level of distrust, misunderstandings due to poor communication or lack of communication. But, ultimately, until an agreement is reached, there’s a very adversarial nature until you’re back together.

Derek Fisher

Silver insisted that an agreement would be reached.

We will reach an agreement with the players. There is a lot of work to be done, but, of course, we will get a new collective bargaining agreement.

Adam Silver

Fisher, who also coached in the WNBA and will be one of the NBA game analysts for NBC, noted that WNBA players feel they have not been valued enough and that there is a disconnect with the league’s management. Fisher argued that the WNBA could have been at this point earlier. He mentioned that Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have re-accelerated growth, but emphasized that this league has always been special. Therefore, he believes that the players are expressing that they cannot allow some of the things that have occurred in the last 27 years to be repeated. They don’t want to leave future generations in the same disadvantaged position they had in the past.