NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has stated that the league might start using a new 'smart ball' in games as early as 2027, which could revolutionize officiating on the basketball court.

In an interview with CNBC's Contessa Brewer, Silver mentioned that the NBA is collaborating with Wilson, the official basketball manufacturer, to create a ball that contains a small microchip Bluetooth sensor capable of tracking movement, spin, and trajectory changes.

Silver explained, 'We're experimenting with putting a small chip in the ball that weighs roughly a gram.' The technology has been trialed in the NBA's G League, Summer League, and some preseason games, where players utilized both chip-enabled and standard basketballs. According to Silver, players have responded positively to these trials.

'Nobody could tell the difference. So that's a good sign,' he remarked. The chip's weight is just one gram compared to the approximately 620 grams of a standard basketball, ensuring that even seasoned players would not notice any difference in feel or bounce.

One of the primary uses for this technology could be in officiating. Silver noted that it could assist referees in determining whether a player touched the ball before it went out of bounds by detecting slight changes in spin, as well as identifying alterations in a shot's trajectory. 'I think you could see as soon as next year us using it for officiating in our games,' he stated.

In addition to officiating, Silver sees a considerable potential for consumer applications, allowing players of all ages to analyze their shooting mechanics. For instance, data from the chip could help a player understand which shooting angles and ball rotations are most effective for scoring.

'You'll then see the graph, and you'll see for which the angle of the shots that went in, they're more likely to go in,' Silver explained. While the officiating application may be ready next year, he indicated that a consumer version could take longer to develop.

'I think the consumer version [of the smart ball] is a few years away, but it's a really exciting opportunity,' he added.

The NBA is also looking into wearable technology for use during games, but discussions with the National Basketball Players Association have yet to yield a consensus. The league previously tested wrist wearables in select preseason and summer league games, which allowed referees to communicate with the replay center regarding reviews and scoring changes.

Silver acknowledged that players commonly use wearable devices off the court to track various metrics, but there are concerns over how data collected during games might be utilized by teams. 'I think we have to come to some agreement on exactly how the information is used. But it seems everybody wants that information,' he remarked.

The main issue is whether such data could influence contract negotiations, with Silver noting that players are apprehensive about how it could be used against them. 'If you could see a player was slowing down or something like that, they're worried that that could get used in bargaining, and I get that,' he said. He emphasized the need for the league to reach an understanding with the players' union regarding the use of this information.

Despite these concerns, Silver suggested that integrating wearables during games is a natural progression as athletes increasingly depend on technology to monitor their performance. 'I think the players are in a position right now where they're essentially wearing wearables 22 hours a day, and the only time they're not wearing them is when they're playing in the game,' he stated. 'So that can't make sense.' He concluded, 'We'll work something out with them.'