The play-in tournament is here to stay. According to ESPN’s NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski, the board of governors is set to take a vote on the play-in tournament and is expected to make it a permanent fixture in the upcoming seasons.
The play-in tournament made its debut during the Orlando bubble in the 2019-20 NBA season and was used in 2020-21 and 2021-22 on a temporary basis. The change proved to be popular among fans and seemingly resulted in a more exciting regular season, which probably prompted the league to make it part of the NBA’s future.
Both the Western and Eastern Conferences organize their own play-in tournaments. Four teams, which finish from No. 7 to No. 10 in the standings, compete to get into the playoffs and take possession of the seventh and eighth seeds. The teams that finish higher in the standings get a double-chance game if they lose against lower-placed teams.
The inclusion of play-in tournament on a permanent basis might not be the only change the league is aiming for. Wojnarowski reports that the NBA owners are also set to discuss the addition of an in-season tournament. The idea of playing a tournament mid-season has been there for a while, but the NBA is yet to pursue it more aggressively.
It is important to note that the NBA can’t unilaterally impose these changes. For both the play-in tournament and in-season tournament, the league will have to make a deal with the NBA players’ association.
