Players who are reluctant to return to the NBA season because of coronavirus or the fight against racial injustice will not be punished, the organization’s boss said.
NBA boss Adam Silver said Monday that the season’s scheduled resumption in late July in Orlando, Florida, was “maybe not for everyone,” repeating that he was giving players a choice. Between fear of coronavirus, isolation away from families and the fight against racial injustice, “I can only say that it may not be for everyone. This will involve enormous sacrifices for the players and for everyone involved, coaches, referees… I don’t want to water down,” he told Espn Monday.
“It won’t be a violation of his contract”
“If a player chooses not to come, it will not be a violation of his contract. We accept that,” he continued, immediately following up the league’s position, which has said from the beginning that it will tolerate the absence of players pleading health or other reasons. Since the NBA announced its plan to return to the 22-team game in the “bubble” of Disney World, set for July 31 (a date likely to be advanced to 30), many players have expressed various concerns.
Irving finds “something that doesn’t smell good”
Many of them, in the wake of Brooklyn star Kyrie Irving, consider that the time is not for basketball, but for mobilization for the fight against racial injustice, after the death of George Floyd during his arrest in Minneapolis on May 25. “I don’t support going to Orlando to play. There’s something wrong with it,” said the point guard, though not concerned about the recovery as he is recovering from right shoulder surgery.
Responding indirectly to those players who wanted to focus their efforts in the fight against injustice and racial violence, Adam Silver felt that a return to the game would present “an opportunity” for them “to draw attention to these issues because the eyes of the whole world will be turned to the NBA”.
The boss admitted that there could not be “unanimity of views” among some 375 players involved in the florida takeover. He assured that the NBA would continue to discuss with the players’ union to both preserve the health of the teams, and promote the fight for social justice. The league and players will be able to “solve most of these problems in the coming weeks,” he said.
