While the NBA's preference was to remain with ESPN and Turner for their new television deals, Adam Silver had several conversations with executives from Fox and NBC, as well as Google and Apple, in the weeks after the All-Star Game in February.

Silver sent word to Skipper that ESPN’s bid would have to be in the neighborhood of $1.4 billion per year over nine years to renew. The number was nearly three times more than the $485 million average that it’s paying in the current deal, but ESPN quickly agreed.