Commissioner Adam Silver said Wednesday it is "inevitable" that the league will one day take after European sports and have sponsor names on team jerseys.
That's standard practice for international sports teams, for which selling advertising space on their shirts is a main source of income.
With the NBA back in London this week for its annual regular-season game, Silver said that's something the league could copy - even if some fans would find it jarring.
"Exactly when it's going to come, I'm not sure, but I do think it's inevitable in our sport," Silver said.