The NHL has kicked off its 2019-20 season, and the NBA is just around the corner.
They generally start off so cute and innocent, but by season’s end you don’t know what you’ll get.
The NHL is coming off a historic postseason where multiple series went the distance, and heavy favorites were knocked out early. The St. Louis Blues took home their very first Stanley Cup in their 51 year existence. Revenue topped $5 billion, and the game is higher scoring with more action than ever before. A potential snag to the beginning of the season was avoided when the NHL Players Union opted to stay with the present Collective Bargaining Agreement for the next three seasons.
The NBA on the other hand…
Last season ended with a rash of injuries to star players that not only affected the outcome of the playoffs, but shelving some of those key pieces for most if not all this coming season.
The offseason saw serious roster movement as Anthony Davis joined LeBron James in L.A.; Kyrie Irving was joined by Kevin Durant in signing with the Brooklyn Nets; Al Horford landed in Philly with the Sixers; and Russell Westbrook was shipped to a loaded Houston Rockets team.
But in the end, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George arguably created the most noise with their concerted effort to make the Los Angeles Clippers the team to beat this year.
The creation of “super teams” creates some excitement for sure, but there is a good chance there will be some serious hollowing out of the middle of the standings as the rest of the NBA suffers from a vacuum of star talent. So expect some lousy basketball along the way with a league that has never been so top heavy.
Add to this the headache of the NBA’s sudden conflict with the Republic of China. An enormous, strategic partner for the NBA and their growth of the brand for broadcasting and merchandising, they don’t take kindly to political commentary.
Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey created a firestorm with a tweet about Hong Kong, and the fallout has been considerable with no real end in sight.
I’ve seen some not so attractive infants grow into gorgeous swans, so who knows what the course of these seasons may bring…
Karl F. Wimer is an award-winning cartoonist and illustrator of sports, business, and all things random, published in books, magazines, and newspapers across five continents. His experience as a two-sport college athlete and youth coach provides unique perspective on the world of sports. Years of work in the trenches as a marketing executive inform his visual commentary on the business world. A favorite recurring role with a strong fundraising element is his annual effort detailing the adventures of the mascot of the US Paralympic Ski and Snowboard team. See more of his work at karlwimer.com and on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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