CJ McCollum Disagrees With The Idea Of NBA Players Wanting A Reduced Schedule: “There’s A Lot Of Players Who Wanna Play 82 Games, They Want To Protect The Identity Of This League.”

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Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

CJ McCollum has been performing admirably in all possible aspects of basketball. On the court, he was crucial in the New Orleans Pelicans successfully making a push into the Playoffs and then winning two games against the Phoenix Suns. Off the court, McCollum has been leading the NBA Players Association as its President since last August. 

McCollum also inked a deal to become an analyst at ESPN, so there are a lot of things CJ is trying to do right now. As the President of the NBPA, McCollum will be a crucial voice in the Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations next season. 

One of the talking points in the CBA agreement will be whether the NBA season needs to be reduced from 82 games to avoid player’s load managing or taking rest days. McCollum as the NBPA President has said he will vote with whatever the consensus is, but believes that players still take pride in going through the 82 game season as part of the legacy of the game.

“Saying that this rule (reducing the games from 82) is appeasing the players is blasphemy. There’s a lot of players who just wanna play 82 games, they want to protect the identity of this league and the legacy of this league. We have to figure out collectively as a whole what’s best for us. These things have only been discussed so far, there is no definitive plan of action.”

A shortened season would mean massive commercial losses for the NBA. which could impact how the players are compensated. 82 games are the long-running standard in the NBA and changing it would create a lot of opposition. If the league wants regular-season games to mean more, they need to come up with a different strategy to make them more viable. 

If McCollum is voicing the players when he talks about the legacy of the league, then it most likely will stay pat at 82 games. There are bigger issues to discuss when the CBA comes around anyway, with owners looking to avoid more Ben Simmons-type situations where a player sits out a season and also demands his full salary for the year. 

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Ishaan Bhattacharya is a content manager for Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. With his expertise in NBA content creation, Ishaan brings a wealth of experience to his role, contributing to the site's authority and reach within the basketball community. Over the last year, Ishaan has interviewed Ray Allen and Mark Tatum, while also covering the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games which saw the Dallas Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Since joining Fadeaway World in March 2022, Ishaan Bhattacharya has become known for his unique perspective on the NBA. He consistently delivers this insight through his daily news coverage and detailed opinion pieces on the most significant topics in the league.Before his tenure at Fadeaway World, Ishaan worked in corporate communications, where he serviced prominent sports brands, including NBA India, Sports18, Amazon Prime Sports, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This experience in strategic communications for leading sports entities has enhanced his ability to craft impactful narratives and connect with a global audience.A true MFFLer (Mavs Fan for Life, for the uninitiated), Ishaan is a massive fan of the Dallas Mavericks. When he is not upset about Jalen Brunson walking in free agency, you can see Ishaan as an avid gamer and content creator. His passion for basketball extends beyond the Mavericks, as evidenced by his thoughtfully curated NBA Mount Rushmore, featuring LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell—each representing distinct eras and bringing their unique qualities to the game.Featured On: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher ReportYahoo Sports, NBA, Fox Sports, The Spun
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