The NBA has officially announced the launch of the NBA Cup, a new in-season tournament that will feature all 30 teams and add some excitement to the regular season games. The tournament will debut in the 2023-24 season and will run from Nov. 3 to Nov. 28.
The NBA Cup is inspired by the European cup-style competitions that are popular in soccer and other sports. The players on the winning team will receive $500,000 each as a prize. The tournament will also have implications for the draft lottery, as the teams that advance to the knockout stage will get an extra ping-pong ball.
“This is a concept that has been rumbling around the league office for around 15 years,” Commissioner Adam Silver said on a special episode of “NBA Today” from “NBA Con” as part of the league’s annual gathering in Las Vegas. “We thought what a perfect opportunity for a global league like the NBA, and it’s a perfect fit for our game.”
The tournament will consist of two stages: a group stage and a knockout stage. The group stage will have six groups of five teams each, three from each conference, based on last year’s regular-season standings. The teams will play four games against each other within their group on seven dates throughout November. The top two teams from each group, plus the four best third-place teams, will advance to the knockout stage.
The knockout stage will have 16 teams playing single-elimination games until a champion is crowned. The first round will be played on Dec. 1, the quarterfinals on Dec. 8, the semifinals on Dec. 15 and the final on Dec. 22. The games will be hosted by the higher-seeded teams, except for the final, which will be held at a neutral site.
The groups for the inaugural NBA Cup are as follows:
- Group 1: Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons
- Group 2: Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Miami Heat, Washington Wizards, Charlotte Hornets
- Group 3: Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors, Chicago Bulls, Orlando Magic
- Group 4: Memphis Grizzlies, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, Utah Jazz, Portland Trail Blazers
- Group 5: Denver Nuggets, LA Clippers, New Orleans Pelicans, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets
- Group 6: Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs
The NBA hopes that the new tournament will create more interest and engagement among fans and players alike, as well as generate more revenue and exposure for the league.
