Woj: Some Players getting cold feet about playing in Orlando

[Mike1989]

Let’s say the 19/20 season gets canceled because this plan doesn’t end up coming to fruition because a significant number of players decide to not player for a combination of reasons.

The question I would pose to those with health concerns is when do you think it will be safe to play again? I have serious doubts that later this year will be any better than right now. By all accounts there is a second wave to come. Will next year be better? Maybe, but it might not be if this virus continues to circulate and no vaccine is found. If COVID-19 is here to stay, then until a vaccine or effective treatment is found it’s going to be mightily difficult to get any sports played without accepting some element of risk.

At the end of the day how long are people willing to wait for a vaccine or effective treatment? End of the year? End of next year? Indefinitely? The most optimistic estimates are 12-18 months for a vaccine but they can’t guarantee it. Even if one is found it’s going to be a challenge to create enough to vaccinate the entire population. So there are going to be significant challenges to overcome for the foreseeable future.

I am the first to admit that health comes first. I live in a shielded household. So if the players don’t feel safe then they shouldn’t play, but if the players decide not to play and the 19/20 season gets cancelled, then potentially it brings into question whether the 20/21 season can start and be played because conditions will not be significantly different, nor will they until a vaccine or an effective treatment is found, or perhaps the virus burns out.

Dare I say it, the same can even go for the social issues that people are fighting for. Is everything going to be solved by the beginning of the 20/21 basketball season? No. What about 21/22 season? I’d probably say no. There is a lot of change that needs to happen in society and that’s not going to happen overnight. The people in Washington DC and beyond are going to have to make the changes otherwise unrest and dissatisfaction is going to continue. If players don’t want to play until the social issues are dealt with, or at least until things calm down, then fair enough but there could be a very long wait. I want the changes in society to be made and until those changes are made we should all continue to demand and fight for them, but is holding out from playing sports going to make the politicians in Washington act faster? Probably not.

Anyway, it will be interesting to see what come of this. In honesty I was always in the camp for cancelling the 19/20 season and focusing on how to get the 20/21 season started on time and played safely and in full. At this time they are rushing to get this season completed and will end up creating issues for next season as well.

[K For Three]

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[Sir-Swish-A-Lot]

Why even restart. It's going to be a gong show.

When should we resume? We probably wont have widespread vaccines until atleast the end of the 2020-21 season (traditional schedule). How many seasons are you ok with losing, how many seasons do you think great players are ok with losing?

A game is more important than a life?

Did I say that? No I did not.

If you were up to date on my posting you would see that I'm in favor of cancelling the 2019-20 NBA season, buddy.

[Sir-Swish-A-Lot]

NBC Sports https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/nba-insider-tom-haberstroh/nba-faces-major-health-safety-obstacles-return

Key component of NBA restart plans as cases surge in surrounding area:

Disney support staff, as of now, will NOT be subject to NBA's bubble protocols with daily testing/quarantine. They are free to go in and out of campus, per a Disney union official.

Why even restart. It's going to be a gong show.

When should we resume? We probably wont have widespread vaccines until atleast the end of the 2020-21 season (traditional schedule). How many seasons are you ok with losing, how many seasons do you think great players are ok with losing?

What's more important playing a game or making sure everyone is safe? COVID-19 is in control here. The 2020-21 NBA season isn't guaranteed. Time will tell.

[Syd-TK3]

Kyrie doing his best to cancel the season

[RaptorsLife]

Just cancel the season

I don’t even care anymore

Don’t wanna see lebron, Kawhi or Giannis wom anyways

[Rek]

Kyrie gonna Kyrie. Ever the Disruptor.

[GrandTheftRondo]

I don’t get what Kyrie is trying to achieve. It’s not like the NBA can do much about the issues in America right now. It’s blatantly obvious to anyone who thinks rationally that it’s up to the states and feds. And we all know the issues they’ve caused.


These issues have also always existed why he has been playing.

[dautjazz]

Why even restart. It's going to be a gong show.

When should we resume? We probably wont have widespread vaccines until atleast the end of the 2020-21 season (traditional schedule). How many seasons are you ok with losing, how many seasons do you think great players are ok with losing?

A game is more important than a life?

They aren't forcing any of these players to play, every person that shows up in Orlando goes because they wanted to. I'm assuming you live in NY since you're a Knicks fan, and I understand how bad it got there, it was the epicenter, but everyone entering the bubble will get tested daily when the season resumes, so they will isolate those from the rest. The chance of contracting the virus in a bubble where everyone is being tested daily is much lower than outside the bubble.

My next point, where any of the NBA players who got COVID-19 ever hospitalized because they were seriously ill? Did any of them get put on ventilators? I highly doubt that any of these players could fit the category. The chances of COVID-19 being lethal while being sub 40, having a strong immune system, and a healthy lifestyle are EXTREMELY low. Most people dieing had the virus for weeks before they found out and were unhealthy. I've heard from a doctor that the typical patients were obese, above 300lbs, these people have high blood pressure. Screen players for high blood pressure, and let them know the risk, but I don't think there would be many that wouldn't pass a physical screening, and if they don't, it's because they are wreckless, a pro NBA player has to be able to pass a physical.

I think as long as players aren't bringing their parents into the bubble, unless they are very young, then it's fine, and it's not like someone in their 40's-50's is necessarily going to be locked inside all the time, they'll be at the same risk inside the bubble as outside the bubble IMO.

[infinite11285]

This...this doesn’t even make sense....

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[Rek]

Dont want to play because of Corona fear? I get that. Dont want to play because you feel like social/political activism is more important? Cool do your thing.

When it comes to not wanting to play because you might be viewed as just entertainers for the country. Ya dont care to hear this point of view. Your job is literally being an entertainer.

Still think there is a good chunk of these guys who are questioning playing because of the entire situation of the "bubble". Not because of optics or anything like that. But because they're filthy rich millionaires in their 20s and early 30s who want to go out and have fun (we all know what falls under this haha). Being locked up in a hotel room for 2.5 months probably doesnt sound appealing at all to many of these younger guys. But instead of saying that they're coming up with more "mature" reasons to say publicly.

Agreed and I honestly can't blame them. I feel like the players (rank and file) are way more educated and better with money than they've ever been and are fine with losing whatever % of salary they would lose in not finishing the season.

Everything is relative ya know

Ya to be clear, Im not hating on any player that doesnt want to play because of Corona, activism or because of the bubble. Im 29, if I was single and had made tens of millions of dollars so far in my life (presuming I didnt waste all my money haha). If I feel like Im on a team that probably wont win it all, how much money would I be getting if I went and played? Lets say a few hundred grand. Ya I wont lie, I wouldnt be shocked if I was saying to myself, "ya Id miss out on that money, especially with the new season starting up just a couple months after this anyways. Im going to have some fun, instead of being cooped up in a hotel room for a couple months."

Would it be the smartest move? Probably not, but like you said its all relative. Im sure a good amount of players want to play and get that check (a good amount haven't made hundreds or tens of millions of dollars). While a good chunk of players are weighing if 2 months locked up in Disney World is worth the check.

It's about much more than just the money involved for the few games. If the season gets shafted because of this, the owners and league will do what's best for them which will end up in the entire CBA being scrapped (which they absolutely can do given the circumstances) and the existing contracts will not be honored. The players won't have a leg to stand on, either. It's not like the league created Covid. They're trying to make this work as much as anyone else.

Furthermore, the idea of Kyrie trying to spout some massive racial divide platform in the NBA is about as tone death as you can get (typical Kyrie). Out of all the USA leagues, hoops leads the way in racial diversity and it's not close. Furthermore, they have a commissioner known to foster participation from all owners and players alike. This is a far cry from dealing with the likes of Trumpism or the Minneapolis Police.

If there are legit concerns from players, that's all well and good and they should voice those concerns. But, there is no version of this where it's helpful to have the Almighty Disruptor KI as the guy leading the effort. This dude consistently is so far removed from reality, it's frankly a head scratcher that other players thought it was smart to elect him as their NBPA Exec Committee VP.

[StickeeFingaz]

Brogdon needs to talk some sense into this fool.

[Mamba Mentality]

Kyrie making a strong case for dumbest player to ever come out of Duke.

[themoneyteam2]

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What does this mean lol

[K For Three]

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[Infinite Llamas]

They shouldn’t fear the attention from these social issues being “shifted”. The problem with any cause is that over saturation can lead to ennui...indifference after a while because it’s the only thing you see on the news and on any media platform. This is an important cause and an important time in history, but can’t players use this as a social platform? Especially if ratings are way up? Basketball and black history are eternal partners so it doesn’t make sense to stop the games if the fear is that the messages will be mixed.

Maybe I’m just ignorant, but if these guys are all quarantined and in a bubble, how exactly will the virus will be spreading?

[K For Three]

Not gonna lie, I am pretty far left myself and I am totally on board with what he means. I feel the same thing all the time too.

We do need changes.

IF he is genuine about this, he can't stop but has to stick to his word and try to help make change as a celebrity.

[G R E Y]

Wowzers!

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[themoneyteam2]

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[Mike1989]

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What does this mean lol

Is Kyrie saying that the NBA discriminates on how they pay their athletes and everyone should be paid more or equally?

The league has always had players that earn more than others and they get paid in that manner because of how good they are. That’s not discrimination that’s their salaries market value. It’s the same in every walk of life. The better lawyer you are, the more money you can earn. The better surgeon you are, the more money you can earn.

If Kyrie is so concerned with how the pay structure in the NBA is run, then I’m sure he would be happy to hand back his contract and every other superstar and spread the wealth so everyone earns the same, or there is less difference between the top, middle and bottom. But I bet Kyrie would not want to be paid the same as Garrett Temple because he values his services as being worth more.