New CBA Rules Leaves Teams Hesitant To Make Trades, As Likes Of Pelicans And Sixers Search For Answers

The NBA season is heating up, but for teams like the Philadelphia 76ers and New Orleans Pelicans, the outlook is as chilly as the weather outside.

Philly has now dropped five straight, falling to 2-12 after a tough night in Memphis. To make matters worse, the Sixers lost Paul George to yet another hyperextended left knee. It’s the kind of blow that makes you wonder how long this ship can stay afloat.

Meanwhile, in the Big Easy, the Pelicans sit at 4-12 after back-to-back blowout losses to Dallas and Cleveland by a combined 69 points. Injuries have ravaged their roster, and the climb back into contention seems steeper by the day.

On the flip side, it’s been all smiles for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors, each sitting atop their conferences. The Cavs continue to assert themselves as a force in the East, while the Warriors look rejuvenated out West.

In other words, it’s shaping up to be a wide-open race, but for teams on the fringes, making moves won’t come easy.

Under the league’s new collective bargaining agreement, trades are trickier than ever. The dreaded hard cap triggered by the first luxury tax apron has executives treading cautiously. Just ask the Knicks, who rushed to acquire Karl-Anthony Towns before the season started to take advantage of expanded rosters and salary cap flexibility. Now? Teams are handcuffed, hesitant to risk their flexibility down the road.

Even the traditional trade season, starting December 15, is complicated by the new restrictions. Hard caps, second apron penalties, and limits on combining players in deals have thrown a wrench in the process.

As one GM told ESPN, “There are rules I didn’t even know about.”

For struggling squads like the Sixers and Pelicans, patience may be the only option — for now. But in today’s NBA, patience doesn’t always lead to progress.