Would Cancelling the NBA Season Benefit the New Orleans Pelicans?
No one wants the NBA season to be cancelled, but it might not be the worst thing for the New Orleans Pelicans to shut things down.
When you are a young team like the New Orleans Pelicans, time is on your side, especially this season, when the best player on the team still isn’t old enough to buy a beer.
There is a growing consensus among NBA executives that the season should be cancelled so the NBA can focus on next season amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
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But there is a second group, now being led by LeBron James, that wants no part of a cancellation and thinks the NBA should resume whenever they can:
https://twitter.com/KingJames/status/1255912096929165312
This makes sense for Lebron. He’s in his 17th season and is basically playing for the playoffs and titles at this point. He doesn’t want to lose a season and I can’t blame him.
It really makes sense for most of the players, who stand to lose a lot of money if the season is cancelled. According to Adrian Wojnarowski:
ESPN Sources: The NBA and NBPA have agreed on the withholding of 25 percent of each player paycheck beginning on May 15. Deal gives gradual reduction in salary should Force Majeure provision be enacted with cancellation of regular season games. May 1 checks will be paid in full.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 17, 2020
We’re not worried that any of these millionaires are going to starve, but losing a big chunk of your pay will get your attention fast.
There is plenty of motivation for veteran players to not lose a season and for all players to not lose a paycheck.
The New Orleans Pelicans are in a different situation. They are an incredibly young team who doesn’t really have any players in the midst of their retirement tours.
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They were clawing their way into a potential playoff spot, but were still on the outside looking in, and there is a chance they would have been watching by this point anyway.
In other words, there may not be much to gain for the New Orleans Pelicans if the season does resume, which is why a cancellation may be the best thing for the franchise.
Let’s take a look at how a cancellation would benefit the New Orleans Pelicans, as well as why it would be the worst possible outcome.