Numerous proposals have been floated by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver in an effort to include as many as eight additional teams to the ones currently slated within the 16-team playoff format. In those creative scenarios, the Pelicans are likely to earn entry (according to Brian Windhorst).
The league is interested in such a route to not only promote fairness of an unfinished season but to also target stars from fringe playoff teams like Zion Williamson and Damian Lillard to help alleviate the losses in television, ticketing and merchandise sales.
But the NBA, NFL, MLB and MLS aren’t the only major entities suffering as a result of the suspensions of each respective league.