Report: Many NBA Players Worried About Planned Return

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According to Yahoo Sports, a “significant number” of players are wary of the 22-team restart in Orlando and “disappointed” they weren’t asked to vote on the situation. It’s up to each player if they want to play, but they’ll only be compensated if they compete.

The concerns from the players are layered, and not all related to health.

The unease about relocating to a quarantined campus during the COVID-19 pandemic was already viewed as hazardous and unnecessary to many players. But because of the George Floyd tragedy and the powerful movement for racial justice that’s sweeping the nation, some players believe it’s bad optics for a league comprised predominantly of black men to be sequestered in one location for up to three months merely to entertain the masses and ease the league’s economic burden, sources said.

“What message are we sending by agreeing to this during this time?” a black player told Yahoo Sports. “We’re out here marching and protesting, and yet we all leave our families in these scary times and gather to perform at a place where the owners won’t be at? What type of sense does that make? We’ll be going backwards. That place isn’t that magical.”

(via Yahoo Sports)

Shams Charania tweeted the expected restart dates earlier today. Per sources, he says, the season will restart on July 30th with the last possible game taking place on October 13th.

 

 

 

CATEGORY: NBA