There’s been a lot going on inside the W ever since Napheesa Collier’s exit interview. And that’s because she didn’t sugarcoat her frustration. She called the league office “tone-deaf,” “dismissive,” and too often driven by “control and power.” But it was her label for the league’s leadership as the “worst in the world” that hit like a thunderclap. And just when it seemed the fire couldn’t burn any hotter, Adam Silver is here with a fresh stance on the matter!

His take comes after Cathy Engelbert quickly dismissed the claims and promised to “do better.” “A lot of inaccuracy about what I said or what I didn’t say, and I will tell you I highly respect the players… It’s obviously been a tough week,” she said in a statement on October 4. But her words failed to douse the fire, which caused the spotlight to flicker between the WNBA Finals and off-court turbulence. And that’s when Silver stepped in.

The NBA Commissioner, known for his calm but commanding leadership, finally broke his silence. He acknowledged what many already suspected — that the W isn’t just dealing with business negotiations but with deep-rooted “relationship issues.” Speaking at NBC Sports headquarters, Silver admitted, “We’ve had two fantastic Finals games… we’ve got to sit down with the players and negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement… there are issues that we need to address with our players, not just economic… There are relationship issues as well. I’m confident we can fix those over time and this league can continue to be on the rocket trajectory that it’s on right now.”

And yes, his take is absolutely spot on. Silver’s comments seem to subtly point toward the controversy that reignited after Collier’s revelation about her conversation with Engelbert. During that exchange, Engelbert allegedly dismissed the idea of pay raises for rising stars, reportedly saying, “Caitlin should be grateful she makes $16 million off the court because without the platform the WNBA gives her, she wouldn’t make anything,” as per Collier’s exit interview.

Those words didn’t just stir quiet frustration — they unleashed a full-blown storm. Suddenly, there were two sides: the commish vs. the players. Even A’ja Wilson, the four-time MVP, didn’t hold back and admitted she was “disgusted” by Engelbert’s alleged statement. Well, this is exactly what makes Silver’s intervention timely, as he steps in when the trust between players and leadership is hanging by a thread.

But what makes his comments even more important at the moment is that players trust him too. As Saby explained it better in a statement she shared earlier this year, “I’ve talked to Adam Silver about it a lot… Players feel comfortable and confident going up to him,” she said. Then, she claimed to prefer Silver over Engelbert. So yes, players are most likely to hear him out amid this tense situation. But will they?

What’s next for WNBA vs. players?

Apart from growing tensions between players and the league’s leadership, another prominent issue is the WNBA CBA’s October 31 deadline. And yes, Silver spoke on it too. “We will get a deal done with the players,” Silver said. “Lots of work left to be done, but we’ll, of course, get a new collective bargaining deal done.” A lot of work left, indeed. WNBA players are fighting for a bigger share of the league’s revenue, as they currently receive just 9.3%.

Now, compare that to the nearly 50% NBA players get from Basketball Related Income (BRI) that they split with the league, and you can see the massive discrepancy right there. With a new $2.2 billion media rights deal and team expansions, it’s obvious the league is growing at a rapid rate. But the salaries remain almost the same, so players are adamant about what they want, both from a relationship and financial standpoint.

As WNBPA President Nneka Ogwumike shared last year, the league is in a “defining moment” and players “cannot afford to stand still.” Though negotiating by the October 31 deadline seems a bit difficult, what if it doesn’t happen? Well, former Lakers guard Derek Fisher’s got an answer for you. “Whenever you’re in the heat of high stakes negotiations and conversions and discussions, it reaches the level of distrust sometimes, misunderstandings due to miscommunication or poor communication. But ultimately, until you reach an agreement, there is a very adversarial nature to it until you come back together.” he shared.

“I think the W could have been at this point sooner… Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese kind of reaccelerated the growth… We don’t want to leave the girls over the next 20 years in the position that we were in when we had no leverage.” And yes, he’s got experience too. He was the National Basketball Players Association president in 2011 when the league and the union couldn’t reach an agreement, a standoff that led to a lockout and reduced the season to 66 games. But for the W, that’s unlikely to happen, as the league is in its offseason and has months to negotiate. So, will the W be able to secure a new CBA before the upcoming season? Stay tuned to find out!