Had not heard that yet...what the?

Apparently the synthetic ball is drying out the ends of players fingers leading to some pretty severe cuts.

"moisterize my brothers and sisters !!"

When I was watching the Miami game the other night I think it was Jon barry saying he chatted to Dwayne Wade about them and most of the players really don't like the new balls, When their hands are drying out from handling them t6he ball is getting slippery and is making it hard to get off a quick shot........it interesting

Also suggestion from players ( Wade / Nash) that they are not going glass as much this season as the ball grips the glass better than the leather ball changing the tradjectory of the shot and so has seen them miss more.

I liked what Cuban did. Got the balls reviewed by experts, with no bias. The university guys reviewed the balls and found some interesting differences:

http://www.blogmaverick.com/2006/10/27/nba-balls/

You think Stern would have done something like this.

The players assoc. filed a complaint against the NBA, not sure what good that will do?

A simple bit of research and a lot more feedback from the players before introduction of the ball would have saved a lot of hassle.

I don't think this whole hub bub would of happened if Stern listened to the players (esp the caliber of Nash and Wade)

The switch back could happen as early as Jan 1, according to SI.com.

Well, well!

NEW YORK, DEC. 11, 2006  The NBA announced today that on January 1, 2007, it will return to the leather game ball made by Spalding, for the remainder of the 2006-07 season.
"Our players' response to this particular composite ball has been overwhelmingly negative and we are acting accordingly," said NBA Commissioner David Stern. "Although testing performed by Spalding and the NBA demonstrated that the new composite basketball was more consistent than leather, and statistically there has been an improvement in shooting, scoring, and ball-related turnovers, the most important statistic is the view of our players."

Question for stats nerds: if Stern talks about ball-related turnovers, then what is a NON-ball-related turnover?

Isn't the ball implicit in the word turnover, ie you turn the ball over? What else gets turned over in a game of basketball?

I think this is a wise move by Stern. You cant have players bagging a new piece of merchandise like that.

They are in traction with players and reps over the dress code and other salary issues- this seems a minor concession IMO.
The other thing is - why change the ball in the first place ? Havent scores been increasing the last couple of years?

The new ball must feel pretty nasty if it is cutting and breaking skin open with its increased friction levels.
Wouldnt want to have it graze your face on a J.Kidd bullet pass!

Bo, what about a travel?

Skyhook,

I don't think it's so much the friction causing the cuts, moreso that the ball is sucking the moisture out of players hands hence leading to the cuts.

A good move by Stern IMO, the NBA being the product it is, it requires complete endorsement from everyone involved - players, GM's etc - for it to work.

Man, Those NBA composite balls are going to be a collectors item now!!!

Everyone will want one now they stop producing them!

They'll sell on Ebay for hundreds...

Heheh, check out the Spalding website:
http://www.spalding.com/home/index.php

It massively promotes the new NBA ball, and says it has a: "Hydrophilic Moisture Management System".

That didn't work too good, did it??

It's still ball-related. You're holding it in your hands. :)

Now, the question of whether the quality of the ball has a bearing on whether you travel or not is a different one entirely...

Details, details. Ball-related would be bad passes, etc. Others would be travel calls, charges, etc.

how about offensive 3 seconds in the key? is that registered as a turnover for the offending player?

Bo - turnovers off the ball happen.

Off-ball fouls.
Bench Techs.

Ball related turn overs that Stern is taking about really only refer to bad passes.