AP sources report that the NBA is considering the possibility of participating in the All-Star Game in a tournament format

The NBA is considering hosting a tournament-style All-Star game similar to what has been used in the Rising Stars competition in recent years, two people with knowledge of the plan said on Friday.

The people, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because no changes have been finalized, said the idea had been discussed for several weeks and was discussed at a competition committee meeting on Friday.

The idea centers around the 24 All-Star selections being divided into three teams of eight players each, with the fourth team likely to be the winner of the Rising Stars competition earlier that weekend.

The changes will take effect beginning with this season’s All-Star Weekend in San Francisco, set for Feb. 14-16.

It is not yet known how the voting process will change. The fans, players and media were part of a weighted system for selecting the starting players, while the coaches chose the backups. Under the proposed format, there would be no reserves — so presumably all four voting subjects would play a role in selecting the 24-player pool.

It is also unclear: how the selection of coaches will work. Normally, the coaching staffs of the teams leading the Eastern and Western Conferences are invited to coach the All-Star Game, but now that three or four teams are participating, more coaches may be needed.

ESPN first reported the idea of ​​the changes on Friday.

Commissioner Adam Silver said earlier this month that the league wants to change the format of the All-Star Game in hopes that it can become more competitive. Last season, the East beat the West 211-186, combining for the most points in the 73-year history of the game, and for the first time the team scored 200 points.

“We’re looking at other formats,” Silver said on Nov. 2, without specifying what might change. “I think there’s no question the players were disappointed in last year’s All-Star Game as well. We all want to do a better job of providing competition and entertainment for our fans.”

The league has changed the All-Star formula several times in recent years. Among the efforts were scrapping the long-standing East vs. West format for the draft, chosen by team captains, and moving to a no-time, goal-scoring fourth quarter to ensure the game must end with a punt.

Last year’s game reverted to the traditional format of four full 12-minute quarters, East vs. West. And it was nothing short of an offensive display, with the teams combining for 168 3-point attempts.

So this year, the NBA is on the verge of trying something new — at least for the All-Star Game. The rookie-sophomore game was scrapped a few years ago for the Rising Stars tournament, where the top freshman and sophomore players are divided into four teams. Two teams play, then the other two teams play, and the winners meet to determine the Rising Stars champion. It’s a shorter series of basketball, and it might appeal to the All-Stars more than a 48-minute game.

Silver has tapped Golden State star Stephen Curry, among other players, to help find a way to make the All-Star Game more competitive this season. According to sources, members of the National Basketball Association’s leadership team have been involved in negotiations regarding the ongoing changes to the All-Star Game.

There were elements added to last year’s All-Star Weekend that worked, e.g Curry vs. Sabrina Ionescu, 3-point contest which the league wants to bring back this season — likely bringing in Kaitlin Clark and possibly Klay Thompson to make it a 2-on-2 format.

“If you look at the interest from an audience perspective last year, one of the highlights was the shootout between Sabrina and Steph,” Silver said earlier this month. “So we want to do more.”

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA