It’s been more than a month since the NBA played its most recent games, as the league had to put its season on hiatus following Rudy Gobert’s positive COVID-19 test in March. Since then, there’s been an ongoing debate about when the league can return to play, how that would function, and whether or not it’s feasible to do this at all.
According to a new piece by Jabari Young of CNBC, that third thing is becoming increasingly popular in the eyes of some. Young reports that some team executives and agents are pushing for the league to call off this year, citing a myriad of issues that largely stem from how little we know about the virus — executives would reportedly like to start focusing on “safely resuming play next season,” while one agent is perplexed as to why Adam Silver hasn’t done what he views as an inevitable.
“I’m surprised because [Silver] always errs on the side of caution and doing what’s right,” said one agent, who added he felt Silver would have decided to cancel by now.
Player representatives have also questioned why the league continues to drag on what appears to be an inevitable cancellation of the season. With so many concerns the league must address, including how to deal with trigger dates in coaches and player contracts, few see the upside.
The NBA is making sure calling the season altogether is a last resort, with CNBC receiving a statement that said “it is the responsibility of the league office to explore all options for a return to play this season” and that “while our top priority remains everyone’s health and well-being, we continue to evaluate all options to finish this season.” Of course, there are major financial implications that come with canceling the season.
The report comes one day after separate reporting indicates that the league is considering, among its myriad of options, a bubble league in Orlando that would keep players at Disney resorts and play games on Disney properties.
