National Basketball Association (NBA) Commissioner Adam Silver is still pushing to increase the age of draft eligibility to 20 years old.

Silver, along with NBA Players Association executive director Michele Roberts, will be going around in the media regarding issues they will be collectively bargaining in the offseason of 2017.

Like Us on Facebook

The two executives will be presenting what they want for their respective parties during the next Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

One issue that they will be discussing is the age limit of the NBA.

Silver would like to raise the limit to 20, which is only one year beyond the current rule of 19.

The union on the other hand, opposes this change, even if the change protects the existing members each year prior to the actual draft.

Silver said that he wants to increase the draft eligibility age limit in order to have a more mature class of player and a strengthened profile for them by starring at the college level.

In an interview with GQ, Silver expressed several of his concerns that he will be bringing up in the CBA.

He said that he has already been planning on discussing the age of draft eligibility issue since 2011. However, several weeks were already lost because of the lockout, and they were anxious to get the season going again.

Silver goes on to say that the union's argument is that it is a restriction on players. Silver says that he understands it.

"Of course it's a restriction, in the same way a draft is a restriction. But our view is that it would make for a better league," Silver said. "You'd have more skilled players, more mature players. The draft would be better. It would be better for basketball in general."

He ends by saying that strong college basketball is a good thing for the NBA, and these players will eventually be playing for the NBA anyway, whether they will be 19, 20, or 21 years old. 

TagsAdam Silver, draft eligiblity