They implemented a harsher penalty for the "take" foul—a free throw along with the ball going out of bounds—and permanently locked in the victorious play-in competition.
A tournament during the season was also considered a pet notion of NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. It began with Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Given the success of the play-in tournament, expect the owners to eventually agree to this on a trial basis because Silver wants it. The concept is to use regular-season games as the "pool play" phase of the tournament, leading to the final eight in a set of one-and-done games similar to the NCAA Tournament similar to the WNBA's Commissioner's Cup.
I doubt that the American athletic audience will accept it because, unlike in Europe or other regions where soccer/football is king, mid-season cups and tournaments are not ingrained in the sports fan DNA. I might be mistaken, though, and the owners are probably willing to accept that the very least try it.
How does a league add games to the season to make this work, starting with the discussion of rest and recovery to keep players fit and on the court (fewer back-to-backs, for example)? Are all teams losing regular-season games if they are not adding more games?
How much money does the league need to contribute to the pot to encourage the players? How much does a $1 million per player incentive drive the game's true elite, many of whom will eventually make $30 million or more per season?
There are many unanswered questions, but the owners are discussing them and anticipate that the in-season tournament will materialize in a few years. For a few years, at the very least.
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