Pelicans coach Stan Van Gundy says NBA needs to be honest: 'Number one concern is making money'

The NBA has maintained its message that safety is the top priority for this season, but Pelicans head coach Stan Van Gundy says that the league needs to be honest about its real No. 1 priority: the almighty dollar.

"The one thing I will criticize the league office and other people who say… ‘Safety is our No. 1 concern." No, no. It’s your number two concern," Stan Van Gundy said on The Intersection podcast with Jason Page. "Your number one concern is making money, and your number two concern is while we’re making the money let’s keep everyone as safe as we can. Let’s just be honest about that."

Van Gundy pointed to last weekend's All-Star Game as proof of the NBA putting money ahead of keeping people safe, noting that it would have been "a lot safer not to play." Several players, including LeBron James, expressed similar criticism of the league for not cancelling All-Star Weekend, noting that it was a pretty transparent money grab.

Last season, the NBA was universally praised for implementing a bubble in Orlando to finish out the season, with zero positive tests over several months. However, this season, the league has been heavily criticized as they have struggled to deal with outbreaks and contact tracing.