What would happen if an active NBA player passed away?

Shock Defeat · Post #1 » by **Shock Defeat** » Mon Oct 26, 2015 2:20 pm

It's a depressing thing to think about but it's somewhat relevant now with Lamar Odom's near death experience and Flip Saunders. Also, chances are it's going to happen at some point just based on percentages.

What do you think would happen if an active NBA player passed away? Would the NBA postpone the season? Would they only postpone it if it was a marquee player like LeBron James dying but not if it was some end of bench scrub?

AgentDRL · Post #2 » by **AgentDRL** » Mon Oct 26, 2015 2:29 pm

Players have passed away while they have been active as far as I'm aware. Some off the top of my head:

Bobby Phills
Malik Sealy
Jason Collier

Whether these were ACTUALLY during the regular season, I'd need to check. But no, I doubt the NBA would cancel a season.

Flannerz · Post #3 » by **Flannerz** » Mon Oct 26, 2015 2:30 pm

Would they still count against the cap?!

Post #4 » by **King of Canada** » Mon Oct 26, 2015 2:31 pm

Reggie Lewis?

Oh, and edited to add that they would NEVER postpone a season if a player died. Ever.

Foye · Post #5 » by **Foye** » Mon Oct 26, 2015 2:34 pm

As always the show would go on. Too much money involved.

catsfan · Post #6 » by **catsfan** » Mon Oct 26, 2015 2:36 pm

len bias
drazen petrovic
bobby phills

winter_mute_13 · Post #7 » by **winter_mute_13** » Mon Oct 26, 2015 2:38 pm

Flannerz wrote:Would they still count against the cap?!

As with anything cap related, Larry Coon's FAQ has the answer.

http://www.cbafaq.com/salarycap.htm#Q72

72. How do players who die apply to team salary?

Sadly, a number of players have died while they were active, including Jason Collier, Reggie Lewis, Drazen Petrovic, Bobby Phills, Malik Sealy and Nick Vanos.

A player who dies is treated the same as one who has suffered a career-ending injury or illness. See question number 63.

NZB2323 · Post #8 » by **NZB2323** » Mon Oct 26, 2015 2:39 pm

The first rule of showbuisness is the show must go on. People would say RIP and there would be other tributes, but they'd never cancel a season.

The real question is what happens if a NFL player dies during a game?

Post #9 » by **King of Canada** » Mon Oct 26, 2015 2:53 pm

I don't think they would stop an NFL game if a player died. They would play it off as an injury and cart him off like Weekend at Bernie's and then announce later that he died.

Hell, FANS die at baseball games on a fairly regular basis and they keep on playing.

ckman · Post #10 » by **ckman** » Mon Oct 26, 2015 2:55 pm

1 minute of silent before games, that's it .

rockersdash · Post #11 » by **rockersdash** » Mon Oct 26, 2015 2:59 pm

The NBA would not postpone the season.

The NBA has a contingency plan if 5 or more players are dismembered. The commissioner would decide whether the teams season goes or not. If the season must go on, the disaster draft takes place during the season. In the NFL, along with the disaster draft, that team would get the #1 pick.

The National Basketball Association (NBA) contingency plan activates if five or more players on a team "'die or are dismembered'".[1][4] A special "disaster draft" would be held in which other NBA teams could only protect five players,[4][5] so that quality sixth men would be available. No more than one player would be drafted from a team.[1]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disaster_draft

Tayswagzzz · Post #12 » by **Tayswagzzz** » Mon Oct 26, 2015 3:03 pm

rockersdash wrote:The NBA would not postpone the season.

The NBA has a contingency plan if 5 or more players are dismembered. The commissioner would decide whether the teams season goes or not. If the season must go on, the disaster draft takes place during the season. In the NFL, along with the disaster draft, that team would get the #1 pick.

The National Basketball Association (NBA) contingency plan activates if five or more players on a team "'die or are dismembered'".[1][4] A special "disaster draft" would be held in which other NBA teams could only protect five players,[4][5] so that quality sixth men would be available. No more than one player would be drafted from a team.[1]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disaster_draft

Woah...

OrlChamps2030 · Post #13 » by **OrlChamps2030** » Mon Oct 26, 2015 3:12 pm

Bit off topic but still somewhat related, what was the Reaction amongst the league/fans to the death of Len Bias? I couldn't even imagine what would happen today if a top pick in the draft unexpectedly passed away.

Winsome Gerbil · Post #14 » by **Winsome Gerbil** » Mon Oct 26, 2015 3:21 pm

rockersdash wrote:The NBA would not postpone the season.

The NBA has a contingency plan if 5 or more players are dismembered. The commissioner would decide whether the teams season goes or not. If the season must go on, the disaster draft takes place during the season. In the NFL, along with the disaster draft, that team would get the #1 pick.

The National Basketball Association (NBA) contingency plan activates if five or more players on a team "'die or are dismembered'".[1][4] A special "disaster draft" would be held in which other NBA teams could only protect five players,[4][5] so that quality sixth men would be available. No more than one player would be drafted from a team.[1]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disaster_draft

Wow.

Dismembered even. :lol:

Do they have an axe murdered clause too?

Heat3 · Post #15 » by **Heat3** » Mon Oct 26, 2015 3:30 pm

disaster draft huh, that's better than tanking for a few years. just chop a few arms off then get your pick of the best 6th mans in the league....

Cyrusman122000 · Post #16 » by **Cyrusman122000** » Mon Oct 26, 2015 3:46 pm

AgentDRL wrote:Players have passed away while they have been active as far as I'm aware. Some off the top of my head:

Bobby Phills
Malik Sealy
Jason Collier

Whether these were ACTUALLY during the regular season, I'd need to check. But no, I doubt the NBA would cancel a season.

Bobby Phills definitely was. that was december on 99 if I remember during the season. Malin Sealy was 6 months later in May but the Wolves had been eliminated about 2 weeks prior