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As the NBA was discussing plans to restart the 2019-20 season, reports surfaced indicating the league was focusing on ways to include Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans.
Williamson has emerged as perhaps one of the most entertaining players in the league during his rookie season given his athleticism and ability to make highlight-reel plays. As a result, the NBA was looking to ensure he was included in the restart in July.
J.J. Redick, Williamson’s teammate on the Pelicans, agrees with that idea.
Speaking on his podcast on Monday with Milwaukee Bucks guard Pat Connaughton and co-host Tommy Alter, Redick believes the NBA included a play-in game since Williamson and the Pelicans were not in the playoff picture.
I think, specifically, with the Western Conference, it gives all of these teams sort of bunched up a fair shot to get the eighth seed. I think they did the play-in game because Zion is not in the playoffs; that’s why they brought these teams back. There are probably some other financial reasons in regards to regional sports network contracts but for the attention of the NBA, I wonder if it was reversed — and, by the way, Ja Morant is a highlight reel and an attraction in his own right — if Zion was in the eighth seed and the Pelicans we were in the eighth seed, I wonder if they are even doing this.
I should also mention that Damian Lillard, Devin Booker, Bradley Beal and a bunch of other guys that are attractions and highlight-reel players and star players in their own right. I’m not taking anything away from those guys.
Since the Pelicans were on the outside of the playoff picture when the season was suspended, NBA commissioner Adam Silver had to get creative in order to include Williamson.
The Board of Governors eventually approved a 22-team competitive format to restart the season, which includes eight regular-season games before the playoffs. The plan includes a play-in game for the eighth seed if the ninth-placed team is within four games of the eighth-placed team.
The Pelicans will begin 3.5 games back of the Memphis Grizzlies and face a tough challenge when the season resumes. They will have a potentially tough schedule, which is reportedly the next eight games on their schedule, and will be forced to compete with four other teams for ninth place.
While the Pelicans are not guaranteed to earn the final playoff berth in the Western Conference, the inclusion of Williamson for a minimum of eight games is still a likely victory for the NBA.
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