COVID is going to wreck havoc on league economics. It already has, after the league faces a $1.5 billion shortfall of projected revenues this season. There is a realistic chance that next season is suspended. There is a more likely chance that teams will play in empty arenas. At best, a good percentage of the league’s team will be in severe financial distress (many already are, including the Magic I imagine). The fallout from a second season of financial uncertainty will be catastrophic.

Small-markets teams like Orlando need to cut bait. Sell off the best players and accumulate draft picks or rookie-scale contracts. It makes no sense to add salary. Sign only low-cost players to short deals. The worst thing small-market teams can do is to take on albatross contracts like Westbrook, Chris Paul, or Blake Griffin. Their contracts, as fixed costs, will become an increasing percentage of the salary cap as the cap decreases.

In Orlando’s case, the timing of a player sell-off would coincide with JI’s lost year. The most important thing is to have some young, cheap assets and flexibility on the other side of the COVID mess. The team with the most flexibility once things settle down will be a magnet for top players.

It’s time to think long-term.