Adam Silver

Adam Silver tells our Cavs' beat writer Chris Haynes that The Q needs work before the city can host an All-Star game.

(Gerald Herbert)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said the only thing that would prevent the city of Cleveland from hosting an NBA All-Star game is failing to make improvements to Quicken Loans Arena.

"They've expressed interest in it and we're waiting for them to get the additional work done on the building," Silver told Northeast Ohio Media Group during Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

The commissioner wouldn't expound upon the enhancements required to land the event.

The Q -- which opened in 1994 -- is the ninth oldest arena in the league.

Teams were made aware that up-to-date technological standards are exceedingly imperative to even being considered.

The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission submitted a bid to host the 2018 NBA All-Star game. The last time the city held the mid-season extravaganza was in 1997.

"We're very excited about returning to Cleveland at some point for an All-Star game," Silver said. "We know [Cavaliers' owner] Dan Gilbert would very much like it to happen and I think it's just a function of when. Making sure that the timing is right in terms of the upgrades to the building."

Toronto will host the All-Star game in 2016, leaving vacant slots for 2017 and 2018. Silver says ideally it's his preference to announce the wining bidder approximately two years in advance.

He said the Cavaliers know where they stand in the process.

"It really comes down to when are the upgrades going to made to the arena," Silver reiterated.

The Cavaliers are proposing a multimillion-dollar renovation project that would enlarge the facilities' footprint to increase the maximum occupancy the building can hold. There are also other enrichment blueprints in the works, but it sounds as if the county's involvement is critical to getting it all accomplished.

Once executed and the league finds everything to be up to standards, Silver sees no reason why Cleveland wouldn't be a prime destination for All-Star Weekend.

"It's a wonderful city to be in," he said. "One of my sisters lives in Cleveland. I love the market. I think there's no doubt we'll be back there for an All-Star game."

Gilbert says he is optimistic everything will work out and added that the excitement level would be through the roof.

"The city of Cleveland would embrace it," Gilbert told NEOMG. "They deserve to have it. We have the best fans in the NBA. We're going to do whatever is in our power to make it happen."