The NBA is still exploring ways to expand its role in European basketball and those talks with FIBA and other stakeholders will continue, Commissioner Adam Silver said Thursday.

That means there’s no deal — yet. But Silver, speaking before the start of the NBA Paris Games between San Antonio and Indiana, gave no indication that the league is softening its stance that more can be done. Meetings were had in Paris this week, and those talks will continue in the coming months.

“We are looking very closely to see if there’s an opportunity to professionalize the game to another level here, to create a larger commercial opportunity,” Silver said. “And not just because commercial opportunity suggests you can grow revenue, but because we believe that with markets, if you can create proper incentives, you can get significant additional investment. And ultimately, that’s the way to grow the game at all levels.”

In August, during the Paris Olympics, Silver said in an interview with The Associated Press that the league had started ramping up talks with FIBA, the sport’s global governing body, on adding either an annual competition in Europe or even having an NBA-operated league.

Similar talks have been taking place for some time. But these conversations are about the vision that the NBA and FIBA evidently share about the potential of the game in Europe from both a commercial and competitive standpoint.

“We have no agreements in place,” Silver said. “We’re not ready to make any additional announcements and we’ll continue to learn all we can and to see if there is a path to move forward.”

Silver said he believes the NBA remains “on track” in the process. He said the league’s governors would be briefed further at their next scheduled meeting in March.

PELICANS’ WILLIAMSON OUT FOR TONIGHT’S GAME: New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson has been ruled out for tonight’s game at the Memphis Grizzlies.

Williamson sat out Monday night’s victory over Utah with a non-COVID illness and New Orleans announced on Thursday that he would remain out on Friday “due to return to play reconditioning from illness.”

Williamson, who has missed 27 games because of an early-November left hamstring strain, will miss his 35th game this season.

He has played in just 10 games, most recently in the Pelicans’ victory over the Jazz this past Friday, scoring 24 points and grabbing 14 rebounds in less than 24 minutes.

Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram (left ankle sprain) also won’t play at Memphis, missing his 21st straight game

HORNETS’ MILLER OUT FOR SEASON: Charlotte Hornets guard Brandon Miller will miss the rest of the season after having surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right wrist. The Hornets confirmed the surgery on Thursday, saying the team will provide updates as he progresses. Miller underwent an MRI on his wrist after being injured in the Hornets’ win at Utah last week.

The No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 draft, Miller averaged 21 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.1 steals over 27 games in his second NBA season.

MAGIC GET WAGNER BACK: Franz Wagner returned to the Orlando Magic lineup against the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday after missing 20 games with a torn oblique. Wagner, who missed 20 games after led Orlando with 20 points in a 100-79 loss to Portland.

The Magic went 7-13 without Wagner.