Wizards owner Ted Leonsis has one idea for solving the problem.

“I responded immediately to Adam and said just put the Washington Wizards on national television and I’ll make sure our players show up,” Leonsis told CNBC’s Scott Wapner during a Tuesday appearance on the “Fast Money Halftime Report.” “I think it’s an honor to play on national TV.”

Joking aside, Leonsis, who was in New York for the Sports Business Summit, certainly understands Silver’s concern. He was chairman of the committee that helped negotiate the NBA’s nine-year, media-rights extension with ESPN and Turner in 2014 worth $24 billion.

AD

AD

“I was chairman of the media committee for the NBA and the networks paid a lot of money for the programming and they want to drive ratings and they deserve to have our best product out there and the best players, and so I empathize and support where our commissioner took a stand here,” Leonsis said.

In his memo, Silver said a team’s decision to rest players “can affect fans and business partners, impact our reputation, and damage the perception of our game.” He also reminded owners that league rules require teams to “provide notice to the league office, their opponent, and the media immediately upon a determination that a player will not participate in a game due to rest.” Wapner asked Leonsis whether the NBA should institute a new rule to prevent teams from resting star players.

“It’s a slippery slope if you put a rule out, because if a player is hurt or a player is banged up, he should be able to sit out,” Leonsis said. “You have all sorts of issues around the CBA and what’s in the best interest of the player. But I do think when you sit out three players, arbitrarily in the main game or the game of the week, that’s probably inappropriate.”

AD

AD