American sports analyst Bill Simmons has called on the NBA to shorten its regular season amid a growing number of injuries to star players at the beginning of the 2026/2027 campaign.
As reported by İdman.Biz, Simmons strongly criticized NBA commissioner Adam Silver on his podcast, arguing that the league's current 82-game schedule places financial interests above the health and long-term careers of basketball players.
"You're destroying your players, making your sport worse, ruining careers and shortening them. The season should be 70 games. If you talk to literally any basketball player, every single one will tell you the season needs to be shortened," Simmons said.
The analyst went further, accusing NBA leadership of negligence and greed for refusing to address the issue.
"If you don't do it now, I think it's negligence. I really do. It's outright negligence and greed. Those are the two words that best describe the situation," he added.
The criticism comes amid a wave of injuries affecting several prominent NBA players early in the new campaign.
Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards is expected to miss approximately two months after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery.
Oklahoma City Thunder have also suffered significant setbacks, with Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace sidelined for extended periods. Chet Holmgren is expected to be out for around two months due to a right patellar tendon injury.
Meanwhile, Tyrese Haliburton and Ja Morant have suffered hamstring injuries, while Kawhi Leonard and Paolo Banchero managed just two appearances each before being sidelined with leg problems.
The NBA has maintained an 82-game regular-season format since the 1967/1968 campaign, apart from seasons shortened by lockouts or other exceptional circumstances.
Simmons believes reducing the schedule to 70 games would help protect players' health, extend their careers and improve the overall quality of basketball.
