Report: NBA to shake up referee hierarchy, eyes new technology

There will quite literally be a new sheriff in town atop the NBA's officiating hierarchy.

The Association is looking to re-assign Bob Delaney, the league's current vice president for referee's development and performance, reports ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Delaney, a former longtime referee himself, has overseen the NBA's legion of officials since taking on the role in 2016. The NBA is now looking to streamline the officiating process using technology, writes Wojnarowski.

With the advent of last-two-minute reports, which detail any missed or incorrect calls in the final moments of the game, referees have been under increased scrutiny from players, coaches, and fans alike. The National Basketball Referees Association has pushed back against the continuation of the last-two-minute reports.

Almost exactly one year ago, Warriors superstar Stephen Curry claimed he would "love" if robots replaced human referees.

With other leagues realizing the potential for technology to improve the accuracy of calls, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the NBA - often on the forefront of innovation in sport - begin to test out new ideas with fresh leadership overseeing its officials.