Adam Silver: NBA may consider lowering age limit in new CBA

According to NBA commissioner Adam Silver, reducing the league's age limit to 18 will be discussed during negotiations with the NBA Players Association about a new collective bargaining agreement. 

Talks began this week between the two sides; the NBA and the NBAPA can opt out of the current CBA but must do so before Dec. 15. 

While there will undoubtedly be plenty of talking points during negotiations, Silver said lowering the age limit to 18 "will clearly be on the table." 

NBC Sports' Kurt Helin points out that reducing the age limit may not have the backing from the players mainly because it will raise the number of players competing for only a set number of roster spots. 

Silver said he's yet to bring up the possibility of reducing the age limit to the players union, but it's something the commissioner believes will be best for the game. 

"I'm on record - when I balance all of these various considerations, I think [reducing the age limit] would be the right thing to do," Silver said. "I am hopeful that that's a change we make in this next collective bargaining cycle, which will happen in the next couple years." 

The league and players' union will reportedly try to tackle several issues within the league during CBA negotiations. Along with the NBA's age limit, Silver said the league and NBAP would discuss the growing number of star players requesting trades and the possibility of adding playing-time incentives to player contracts.