There may be a faction of NBA players that don’t support the NBA returning to play at the end of July, but that doesn’t seem to be having a direct impact on the league and the players union continuing to implement plans for that purpose.
Commissioner Adam Silver addressed the apparent discord from within the players and let it be known that the league would not consider it violative of a player’s contract if he determined that he did not want to make the necessary sacrifices required to participate in the conclusion of the 2019-20 season.
In other words, any player who doesn’t wish to report to Orlando can opt out and face no penalty other than the forfeiture of the salary they would have otherwise been entitled to have they played.
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, though, the league’s players will have to make their intentions known in short order. It turns out that the league is requiring that any player who decide to not participate at Disney World notify his team by June 24.
To this point, Kyrie Irving and Dwight Howard seem to be the players whose advocating against returning have received the most publicity. Interestingly enough, Irving’s season has already ended after a surgical procedure on his shoulder
Whether Howard plays or not, though, may have a direct impact on the championship. Currently a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, Howard is an important rotation piece and one of only two centers in the Lakers’ rotation. If he decides not to play, it would hurt the Lakers’ chances of winning the Western Conference.
There are believed to be several dozen players who have some reservations about returning. The prospect of having to spend at least six weeks away from friends and family and living at Disney World for upwards of three months is a tough pill to swallow for some…
We’ll find out exactly who in short order.
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