The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association reached an agreement late this past week, putting a collective bargaining agreement in place for the final seven years of the decade.
The pact guarantees that there will be no potential lockouts or work stoppages, and promises labor peace for at least the short term future. But there are also some league changes and stipulations that have been agreed upon as well.
New CBA for NBA Allows For Marijuana Use Amongst Players
Sources: NBA players will no longer be prohibited for marijuana under the new seven-year Collective Bargaining Agreement. It's been removed from the anti-drug testing program, a process that began during 2019-20 season.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 1, 2023
There are tweaks to the salary cap, making it more difficult for teams that are over the luxury tax to continue to add talent to their rosters. Teams like the Warriors and Clippers in recent years can be used as examples, as their recent spending habits would have been hampered by the new rules, which go into effect at the start of the 2023-24 season.
Also in the agreement was an attempt to curb load management, the league is tying postseason awards (All NBA Teams, DPOY, MVP) to a 65-games played minimum. There is also an update to the in-season tournament, which could make its debut as early as next season.
But one of the more intriguing portions of the new CBA is the approach to marijuana use amongst the players. It had been widely known since the 2019-20 season that the NBA was pulling back on their marijuana testing program, becoming the most progressive of the four major American sports when it comes to the “drug”.
NBA players will no longer be prohibited from using marijuana under the new CBA, per @ShamsCharania pic.twitter.com/KEtGOYGpgj
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 1, 2023
The league’s efforts have helped remove the stigma that followed the use of marijuana, and there are players who are already very open about their usage. There are plenty of former players who not only support cannabis use, but some that even invest in it.
Marijuana Use Already Prevalent In The League
Hey @NFL… you see the @NBA just decided to stop testing for marijuana entirely?
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 1, 2023
And even some of the league’s biggest stars are open about smoking pot. Kevin Durant is one of the biggest names in the sport, and had no problem revealing in an interview with David Letterman that he smoked marijuana regularly, and that he was even high during the interview.
The NBA has certainly been the most progressive league on this front, but it stands to reason that other major sports will follow suit. Marijuana and its health and recovery benefits could be a huge help in leagues like the NFL where addictive pain medication is typically the answer instead of holistic or natural healing.
We are a long way away from removing the stigmas from cannabis use completely, especially in professional sports. But Adam Silver and the NBA have taken huge strides that could ultimately lead the way for the likes of the MLB, NHL, and NFL.
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