According to multiple reports, most NBA players want to resume the 2019-20 season if it’s safe enough to do so.
Earlier this week, the NBA conducted an informal poll of players to find out whether or not they wanted to finish the 2019-20 season.
According to Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press, finishing the season has “overwhelming” support from the players. SNY’s Ian Begley confirmed this report but added that there are also players who are worried about the potential health risks.
Following a conference call with commissioner Adam Silver, National Basketball Players Union president Chris Paul organized a “superstar summit” consisting of some of the NBA’s biggest stars. LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Kawhi Leonard were among the group of stars Paul assembled.
The group emerged from its meeting with the goal of finishing the season and the rest of their peers seem to agree. Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown confirmed that the superstars had an influence on the rest of the players.
Jaylen Brown on @CNN: "A lot of the guys want to play. The most influential players that were on that call that we speak of, a lot of those guys want to continue the season and that's very important to us." pic.twitter.com/lShZj8x4UW
— Chris Grenham (@chrisgrenham) May 13, 2020
“A lot of the guys want to play,” Brown said. “The most influential players that were on that call that we speak of, a lot of those guys want to continue the season and that’s very important to us.”
The league is allowing some teams to reopen team facilities in certain areas that are not under complete lockdown. Certain teams have taken advantage of these opportunities for individual workouts, but others are still wary of reopening. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is keeping the team’s facilities closed until they have adequate testing.
The NBA has been a leader during the coronavirus from the beginning. Rudy Gobert’s positive test was the first coronavirus domino to fall in the sports world. Following the revelation, the NBA shut down the season and almost every other professional sports organization in the country followed suit.
In fact, one could argue that Gobert’s positive diagnosis was the tipping point for the entire country to start taking COVID-19 seriously.
And now, two months later, the NBA is still trying to figure out a way to restart the 2019-20 season. This story is far from over.
