Having Pelicans F Zion Williamson healthy and able to play in Orlando is a "victory for the NBA," because while multiple league sources "pushed back on the thought that the NBA went out of its way to include the Pelicans in the bubble, having one of its biggest draws available for at least eight more games is undoubtedly good for business," according to Bontemps & Lopez of ESPN.com. Sources "expect the Pelicans to get plenty of prime-time television opportunities in Orlando." Bontemps & Lopez note if the Pelicans can improve "from 10th in the Western Conference standings into the eighth seed, a first-round matchup" with the Lakers "probably would be a ratings bonanza for the league" (ESPN.com, 6/24).
MONEY MATTERS: SI.com's Rohan Nadkarni wrote at this point, it is "painfully obvious the strong financial motivations the NBA, team governors, and players have to return," as everyone "stands to lose a lot of money without a season." Right now, the NBA is "reaching its first pain point of its return plan, and the strategy seems to be to remain silent," for nobody from the league’s leadership ranks has "commented about the spike in cases in Florida in a meaningful way." The NBA is "so insistent on returning, it’s now done the opposite" of what Commissioner Adam Silver "suggested would be the mantra when a return was first explored." Nadkarni: "At what point will the data become more important than the date again?" (SI.com, 6/23).
OPTING OUT: Lakers G Avery Bradley said that he has "opted out of playing" in the restarted season. ESPN.com's Adrian Wojnarowski reported at the "forefront of Bradley's decision to remain with his family is the well-being of his oldest child." Six-year-old Liam has a "history of struggling to recover from respiratory illnesses," so it is "unlikely that he would have been medically cleared to enter the Orlando bubble." Bradley also is a co-leader with Nets G Kyrie Irving of a players coalition that has "sought to have several issues centered on social justice, racial equality and empowerment addressed" with the NBPA and NBA in the restart (ESPN.com, 6/23). In San Antonio, Mike Finger writes Wizards F Davis Bertans became the "first player in the NBA to take measure of what he stood to gain in the Disney World bubble, compare that to what he stood to lose, and officially decide it’s not worth the trip." Bertans -- who is set to become a free agent this offseason and has suffered multiple knee injuries in his career -- made a "sane, practical decision," and now one "wonders how many other athletes soon will come to the same conclusion." Still, Bertans’ choice was "simpler than most" because the Wizards "probably aren’t going to make a playoff run" (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 6/24).
