NBA All-Star Weekend has come and gone, and with it, you get time to sit back and relax for NBA players. They also respond to the media and weigh in on issues facing the NBA today. One of the biggest issues facing the NBA that players were surveyed on was tanking, and the same applies to player participation. But one player said the prevalence of alcohol is another issue that needs to be discussed.
Every year, The Athletic surveys every player heading into NBA All-Star Weekend and asks them questions across the board. This year, they asked what was the biggest problem facing the NBA, and the answers ranged from players competing to injuries to tanking, but one player said the biggest problem was excessive alcohol at games.
This answer came from Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington. "Maybe they're selling too much alcohol at the games," said Carrington, who attended a Rising Stars game. "They keep spreading it on the court. You have to stop the game to wipe it off."
The Athletic even noted that Carrington's answer was his favorite of the weekend. Carrington joined the Rising Stars program as an injury replacement. Carrington replaced fellow Wizards sophomore Alex Sarr on Team T-Mac. Sarr was unable to participate due to a right hamstring strain.
The biggest concern for the players was injuries. Jaylon Tyson of the Cleveland Cavaliers said that the perception of injuries around the league was not good.
"I think the biggest problem right now is the perception that people don't want to play," Tyson said. "Guys are working hard every day to be able to go on the court, but unfortunately, our bodies aren't robots, so we can't go out there and play. We have to be healthy to go out there to play."
It's also worth noting that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said 'every possible measure' to prevent tanking is on the table.
The NBA commissioner also addressed an expected discussion on expansion next month and said relocating any teams is not being considered.
