NBA Commissioner Adam Silver speaks to the media after the Board of Governors meetings on July 12, 2016 at the Encore Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The proposed changes to the National Basketball Association's 82-game regular-season schedule is receiving mixed reaction, with some saying the league isn't cutting enough games.

In an interview with CNBC, Patrick Rishe, director of the sports business program at Washington University in St. Louis, said the NBA should go beyond cutting to the proposed 78 games, with the belief 68 contests could help the NBA's current ratings and load management issues.

"One of the reasons NFL ratings are so high is because of their scarcity," Rishe said. "Yes, you're going to have to make up revenue somewhere, and it probably will be made up of higher media rights, higher ticket prices, high corporate partnership rates. But I believe the ratings per game would be higher, and it will help you justify higher rights fees; justify higher partnership rates because there will be more scarcity."

ESPN first reported the NBA floated the idea to reduce its regular season to 78 games, including an in-season tournament, and possibly reseed the top four teams remaining in the playoffs regardless of conference, according to reports. That scenario would also allow an East vs. West conference final, or a same-conference NBA Finals.

"I applaud the effort," Philadelphia 76ers forward Al Horford said. "I don't know if it's going to fly."

As part of the change, adding play-in rounds for seeds 7-10 in each conference before the postseason commences is also being considered. The 7th and 8th seed would play a game for ownership of the 7th-seed slot, and the loser of the game would play the winner of the 9th- and 10th-seed play-in game. The winner of this game claims the final postseason spot.

Portland Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum said the schedule change is "intriguing." But McCollum also raised additional questions surrounding the Basketball Related Income split, as some teams could play more than 78 games with the addition of play-in games.