It took a near injury to Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic for the league and the Cleveland Cavaliers to finally act. The league has officially attempted to address the controversial raised court at Rocket Arena. However, it’s not only too late, it’s too little. Fans are far from satisfied from the outcome of the NBA’s high level talks to fix a long-running issue with the Cavs arena.

The Cavaliers are one of the many NBA teams to share the arena with an NHL team. But instead of transitional flooring like say, the United Center has for the Bulls and Blackhawks, the Cavs have a unique elevated basketball court over the rink.

The unique floor, which sits approximately 10 inches above the surrounding arena surface became a lightning rod for league-wide scrutiny after Doncic landed awkwardly off the “cliff” during the January 28 matchup between the Lakers and Cavaliers. The emotional tribute to LeBron James at his homecoming didn’t cover up that Luka Doncic nearly got severely injured. And this elevated floor causedd a season-ending injury to Dru Smith before without getting addressed.

While the NBA and the Cavaliers organization initially maintained the court was fully compliant with league standards, the pressure from the NBPA and vocal critics like JJ Redick forced the team to implement visible modifications this week.

The adjustments were made to the court. Or so they claim. In an image provided about the changes, the court has reportedly been widened with some kind of wooden extension or padding extending towards the fans seats. This way, instead of a 10 inch drop from the court, the surface is a lot more even between the hardwood and the arena floor.

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It’s still elevated. It doesn’t address what Draymond Green also said about the players bench on this uneven floor causing hip strain. The band-aid fix has caused even more uproar than before.

Fans Slam Lackluster Safety Measures

The reaction to the updated floor has been overwhelmingly negative, with supporters across the league arguing if these changes are an improvement. One frustrated observer noted that the timing feels questionable, stating, “Adjusting the court after complaints? That’s peak NBA optics over substance, leagues bend over backwards for perception instead of focusing on the real issues: fairness and player safety.”

The visual evidence of the upgrade left fans particularly incensed, leading one to ask, “dont tell me that little a– square is the adjustment 😭” while another added, “Adding black wood around the already raised court doesn’t make it a normal level court…wtf lol.”

As photos of the new layout circulated, the general consensus was that the change might actually introduce new hazards for players. “Are the adjustments in the room with us?” joked one commenter as others felt this was the logistical equivalent of lip service.

They already predict fresh hazard from the extension. “Now u fall off and twist your ankle right under a chair instead of in space 😂” while another succinctly concluded the team “Probably made it worse.”

The most biting criticism, however, came from those who remembered the toll the court has already taken on careers, particularly Dru Smith’s 2023 injury. They argued this motivation was years too late. “They should’ve done this LAST SEASON after Dru Smith got hurt!”

Very few felt the blame was misplaced entirely, arguing, “Nice but Luka shouldn’t have jumped back eight steps after his shot anyway.”

Despite the team’s effort to quiet the noise, the Cavaliers find themselves in a defensive position as they try to justify a court design that remains an outlier in the modern NBA.