NBA commissioner Adam Silver is as stoic as they come. The stern and popular leader of the association always seems to be even-keeled, never getting angry or happy when the cameras are on him and almost always saying the perfect thing when faced with scorching questions.
But on Thursday, Silver showed his human side and made a joke about one of the more serious topics plaguing the NBA right now.
While appearing on the Dan Patrick Show, Silver and Patrick discussed Ja Morant, the Grizzlies star embroiled in off-the-court-drama. The Memphis point guard is currently suspended from all team activities for waving a handgun around during an Instagram Live stream for the second time in less than a two-month span.
Patrick pivoted the conversation to the “carrying” problem when referring to missed traveling calls in the NBA and Silver didn’t miss his chance to crack a joke when Patrick suggested Adam Sandler make a PSA for an anti-carrying program.
Gotta love to Commissioner Silver leaning into the joke at the end of the interview 😂 pic.twitter.com/1LiBXArf9A
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) June 8, 2023
“It could have a double meaning by the way,” Silver said.
Patrick immediately knew where he was going with this.
“The Ja Morant anti-carrying? Absolutely,” Patrick said. “I got it commissioner.”
Silver seemed pretty pleased with himself and couldn’t help but smile at his own joke. The smiles won’t last long, surely, since the commissioner announced on June 1 that the NBA has “uncovered a fair amount of additional information” regarding the investigation into Morant’s exploits.
Silver said the NBA won’t share the information or bring forth a punishment until after the NBA Finals conclude, so until then, all we have are puns.