Former NBA center Kendrick Perkins, now of ESPN, doesn’t think the league’s New Orleans experiment is working.
Since moving from Charlotte to the Big Easy in 2002, the Pelicans have rarely been competitive, only advancing past the first round of the Western Conference playoffs on two occasions while failing to retain homegrown stars like Anthony Davis and Chris Paul. Zion Williamson could be headed for the same fate with growing speculation the All-Star forward will become the first player to reject a max extension from the team that drafted him.
New Orleans, for all its history and southern charm, remains one of the smallest media markets with a pro team, a shortcoming that can limit players’ earning potential. It’s debatable how much the Pelicans, who rank 21st out of 30 NBA teams in average attendance (15,490), matter to owner Gayle Benson, who has long prioritized her controlling stake in the Saints, the more popular and profitable of New Orleans’ two sports franchises. With their lease at Smoothie King Center due to expire after the 2023-24 season, many, including Perkins, wonder if it’s time for the Pelicans to find a new home.
“I think it’s time for the Pelicans to relocate,” said Perkins, who spent one season in New Orleans, making 37 appearances (five starts) in 2015-16. “I think a city like Seattle, a city like Las Vegas is more deserving of a basketball team.”
No NBA team has relocated since the Seattle Sonics, who moved to Oklahoma City and became the Thunder in 2008. “I played for New Orleans, and they’re always going to be second to the New Orleans Saints. I’ve been there, they’re always going to be the little brother,” argued Perkins. “Zion is a box-office-type guy. The Pelicans are still trying to give tickets away. Even when he’s playing, we’re watching the game and there are empty seats. It will never be a basketball city.”
Seattle just refurbished Climate Pledge Arena (formerly Key Arena), completing a $1.15-billion renovation project to accommodate the Kraken, an NHL expansion team that began play last fall. Meanwhile, teams, including the Golden Knights and Raiders, have flocked to Vegas amid the sports betting boom with NBA and MLB franchises sure to follow. Is it time for the Pelicans to admit defeat, leaving New Orleans for a fresh start elsewhere? Perkins obviously thinks so, though like all decisions in sports, money will be the determining factor.
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