Adam Silver: 'Major shift' unlikely

— -- Commissioner Adam Silver says he does not foresee "a major shift in the NBA's participation in international competitions" in the wake of Paul George's gruesome compound leg fracture suffered Friday night in Las Vegas.

But in a statement Sunday night to ESPN, Silver acknowledged that George's severe injury, which is expected to cost the Indiana Pacers' All-Star forward his entire 2014-15 season, will reopen the debate leaguewide about the merits of the game's biggest stars and highest-paid veterans playing in international tournaments, such as the forthcoming FIBA Basketball World Cup starting Aug. 30 in Spain.

"Without a doubt, basketball has grown tremendously since 1992, when NBA players began playing in the Olympics," Silver said. "Also, it's important to note the [improvement] many of our players have made in terms of ability, leadership and passion for the game by playing for their home countries. 

One option is revisiting the proposal former NBA commissioner David Stern unsuccessfully tried to introduce before the 2012 London Games, when Stern advocated turning the men's Olympic basketball tournament into an under-23 event, as seen in world soccer.

Since taking over for Stern in February, Silver has repeatedly reiterated the league's long-standing desire to try to make basketball the world's No. 1 sport, which is one of the prime motivations for the NBA to keep sending players to international events.