The NBA has a problem, and everyone knows it. Fans pay top dollar to see superstars, only to watch them sit out for “rest.” Adam Silver’s league-wide crackdowns haven’t worked, and networks investing billions aren’t happy with lackluster matchups. Carmelo Anthony, newly signed by NBC, is already making waves. On his 7PM in Brooklyn podcast, Melo cut through the noise with a simple yet radical fix. But why do the network companies see a major problem, especially now?

The NBA’s new 11-year, $76 billion broadcast deal includes NBC and Amazon Prime Video alongside longtime partners ABC and ESPN. NBC’s coverage will include the NBA All-Star Game, Monday and Tuesday night games, plus a Sunday night slot starting in January. With such a massive investment in the league’s visibility, every broadcast partner will want the best possible product on the court.

On his 7PM in Brooklyn podcast, Anthony didn’t hold back about a growing concern in the league. “At the end of the day, what’s happening is — and seeing it and we know, we’ve been in it and y’all seeing it as fans — the last 10, 12 games, 15 games guys is done already,” Melo said. “It’s teams who are completely checked out by All-Star Weekend. So, to have teams travel and force them to play. And now the guys [who have] been there, the veteran guys, the money guys — they ain’t playing.”

NBA fans are well-acquainted with the rise of load management in recent years. Teams with playoff hopes often rest their stars, whereas struggling squads prioritize draft positioning over competitiveness. This results in late-season games with bench-heavy lineups, shortchanging fans, and frustrating broadcasters. If NBC is investing billions, they want games that matter, not glorified scrimmages.

Anthony Edwards, the Timberwolves star, once told reporters in 2023, “If you are 80 or 70 percent, you gotta play…These people might have enough money to come to one game, and that might be the game they come to see you, and you sit out.” And surely, the fans attending the games agree, too. Who doesn’t want to see the best quality on the hardwood floor?

So, what’s the fix? Anthony has a solution. “It’s not 82,” he said, dismissing the traditional season length. When asked for a better number, he suggested, “65 to 68.” Cutting games could mean fewer injuries, fresher players, and higher stakes for every matchup. After this year’s lackluster All-Star Weekend, could Adam Silver and the NBA seriously consider this?

The 1998-99 lockout led to a 50-game season, and the 2011-12 lockout resulted in a 66-game schedule. Despite the reduction in games, the 2011-12 season experienced only a 10% decline in league revenues, even with 20% fewer games.

Can Carmelo Anthony’s idea fix Adam Silver’s NBA problem?

Just a day ago, NBA commissioner Adam Silver admitted what fans already knew—this year’s All-Star Game flopped. Despite tweaks to the format, the game still lacked intensity. “I thought we made almost an immeasurable amount of progress,” Silver said. “I thought this was a little better, but it was a miss.” The league is still searching for an All-Star showcase that players and fans can actually be proud of.

Meanwhile, the ratings tell the same story. The game pulled in just 4.7 million viewers across TNT platforms, a 13% drop from last year and the second-lowest viewership ever. Only 2023’s game did worse. So, could Carmelo Anthony’s proposal for a shorter season help? Fewer games could mean less incentive for teams to rest stars, keeping the league’s biggest names on the floor as the playoff race heats up.

Of course, the financial side of things complicates the conversation. Cutting games would mean fewer ticket sales and local TV broadcasts, which are huge revenue drivers. However, some argue that a quality-over-quantity approach could pay off in the long run. More intense matchups, higher stakes, and fresher players could boost engagement and keep fans locked in all season.

If the NBA wants to keep its billion-dollar product intact, Carmelo’s 65-game season proposal might be the only way forward. Just like the In-Season Tournament revived fan interest, a revamped season could do the same.  But will Adam Silver listen?