NBA - The Re-Open: - Connaughton has Covid-19, pg. 94

[midranger]

The Raptors are going to Fort Myers (which is about 3 hours southwest of Orlando) today

https://www.nba.com/raptors/raptors-prepare-resumption-nba-season

Going the herd immunity route

[Daver]

The Raptors are going to Fort Myers (which is about 3 hours southwest of Orlando) today

https://www.nba.com/raptors/raptors-prepare-resumption-nba-season

Reading the raptors board its like why even play now the raptors want it so much more than anyone else cause they are getting their way early.
With the virus im not sure if that isnt boarding on sheer stupidity instead of showing everyone they want it more

[skbucks1985]

The Raptors are going to Fort Myers (which is about 3 hours southwest of Orlando) today

https://www.nba.com/raptors/raptors-prepare-resumption-nba-season

Reading the raptors board its like why even play now the raptors want it so much more than anyone else cause they are getting their way early.
With the virus im not sure if that isnt boarding on sheer stupidity instead of showing everyone they want it more

The fact that Toronto is the only non-US team probably the main reason they did this. A lot of those guys probably live in the US during the offeseason and have probably been in the US for a while and so its just logistically much easier for those guys to go to Fort Meyers than to go from wherever they are to Toronto and then go to Orlando.

[Brewhoopfan]

One thing that I haven’t seen mentioned is that a “bubble”, while good in theory, obviously and immediately becomes highly counter productive the moment a single case enters it. Sure it simplifies contract tracing, but 100% of the contacts will be other nba players with a false sense of security interacting in ways they wouldn’t normally be interacting (ie Both player to player and between different teams).

I just can’t shake the feeling that this becomes Fyre Festival: NBA and its such a disaster it costs us all of next season too.

Honestly the first two words that came to mind when I heard about the bubble idea were "cruise ship".

Big difference is with cruise ships at the time they were not aware of the risks and there were no tests when people went on board.
Only risk is when new people enter the bubble. If they are tested negative, go in quarantine for a week (in a hotel or so) and test negative again, before entering the bubble, then the risk is minimal.

The physical distancing possibilities are much different at Disney than on a cruise ship in terms of common spaces and ventilation. I think precautions can minimize the risk as long as the players can follow them. However, we're talking about a bunch of guys in their 20s and 30s with money. Not exactly a cautious demographic.

That said, BRING ON THE GAMES! I wish they started TODAY!

[Chuck Diesel]

Opted out of “bubble” so far:

Bojan Bogdanovic
LaMarcus Aldridge
Kelly Oubre
Davis Bertans

Be interesting to see how the list grows.

[emunney]

It's still funny to me that in order to make it seem like they weren't bending over backwards just to get Zion in, they had to get the Suns and Wizards in.

[WeekapaugGroove]

Opted out of “bubble” so far:

Bojan Bogdanovic
LaMarcus Aldridge
Kelly Oubre
Davis Bertans

Be interesting to see how the list grows.

Small correction they said oubre isn't going to play but he will be with Phoenix in Orlando. So he hasn't opted out they just haven't cleared him from his meniscus injury.

Not sure I'd really count LMA or Bojan either, both guys are having surgeries so it's not like you do that for some excuse not to play it's a legit injury. Now could they have waited until after? Maybe but I get why in their shoes they would just get it done now vs waiting, playing hurt and then possibly missing time next season.

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[FlagsFlyForever]

Opted out of “bubble” so far:

Bojan Bogdanovic
LaMarcus Aldridge
Kelly Oubre
Davis Bertans

Be interesting to see how the list grows.

Small correction they said oubre isn't going to play but he will be with Phoenix in Orlando. So he hasn't opted out they just haven't cleared him from his meniscus injury.

Not sure I'd really count LMA or Bojan either, both guys are having surgeries so it's not like you do that for some excuse not to play it's a legit injury. Now could they have waited until after? Maybe but I get why in their shoes they would just get it done now vs waiting, playing hurt and then possibly missing time next season.

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Aldridge had surgery in April and Bojan in May. Both guys will be receiving their full salaries (as will Oubre). As of now, Bertans is the only healthy player to opt out and lose salary for not playing. It seems unlikely he'll be the only player to do so. We'll know soon enough. The deadline to opt out is Wednesday.

[BucksFanSD]

I would suspect the list becomes the normal list you see towards the end of any NBA season.

[WeekapaugGroove]

Here's another actual opt out.

Read on Twitter

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[paulpressey25]

Here's another actual opt out.

Another older player on a likely non-contender, who has made a ton of money already. I don't fault him.

[DingleJerry]

I was hoping Portland would get a bunch of their injured guys back and give one of the LA teams a run for the money in the first round if they made it

[FlagsFlyForever]

Here's another actual opt out.

Another older player on a likely non-contender, who has made a ton of money already. I don't fault him.

I think his situation has more to do with it being the only time he is allowed to see his son.

Read on Twitter

[WeekapaugGroove]

Here's another actual opt out.

Another older player on a likely non-contender, who has made a ton of money already. I don't fault him.

I won't fault anyone who chooses not to play. This one looks like it was mostly motivated by a custody situation with his 12 year old.

I do expect a couple more pending FAs similar to betrens to opt out. I can see them weighing the risk reward of an injury. Like I could see Aaron Baynes opting to stay out of the US and not rejoin the suns.

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[RRyder823]

Here's another actual opt out.

Another older player on a likely non-contender, who has made a ton of money already. I don't fault him.

I think his situation has more to do with it being the only time he is allowed to see his son.

Read on Twitter

More like that mother being evil

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[Daver]

This from bleacher report was stunned when i read this would be shocked to
There is reportedly some thinking that whichever team hires Jason Kidd as a head coach could have an inside track on potentially landing Giannis Antetokounmpo when he hits free agency.

According to Steve Popper of Newsday, some teams around the league believe Kidd could be a "link" to the reigning MVP. Popper also noted Kidd would be interested in the New York Knicks job.

Marc Stein of the New York Times reported the Knicks received permission from the Los Angeles Lakers to interview Kidd, who is an assistant with the Purple and Gold, for their head coaching vacancy.

Antetokounmpo is under contract with the Milwaukee Bucks through the 2020-21 season.


The four-time All-Star played for Kidd when the latter was the head coach in Milwaukee from 2014-15 until he was fired in January 2018. The Hall of Fame point guard finished with a 139-152 record with the Bucks, leading them to the playoffs twice.

"He's a big part of my success in the league," Antetokounmpo told reporters when publicly speaking about Kidd in 2018 for the first time since the firing. "I'm loyal to the people I work with. I love him as a person. I care about him as a person."

Giannis is one of the few elite players who could instantly turn the Knicks around just by signing there, especially given their status as one of the league's worst teams.

New York has won one playoff series since it reached the 2000 Eastern Conference Finals and finished the 2019-20 campaign with a 21-45 record, failing to earn an invite to Orlando, Florida, for the season's restart plan. It has finished with a losing record in each of the last seven seasons.

Popper believes the Knicks position is still Tom Thibodeau's "job to lose" and also thinks Antetokounmpo will remain with the Bucks, but he suggested underestimating the relationship between Kidd and Giannis would be a mistake when it comes to factors teams will consider when making their coaching decisions.

Ian Begley of SNY reported Kidd is one of many candidates the Knicks plan on interviewing.

They also plan on interviewing current interim head coach Mike Miller, Dallas Mavericks assistant Jamahl Mosley, San Antonio Spurs assistant Will Hardy, Golden State Warriors assistant Mike Brown, Chicago Bulls assistant Chris Fleming, Philadelphia 76ers assistant Ime Udoka, Orlando Magic assistant Pat Delany and former NBA head coaches Mike Woodson, Thibodeau and Kenny Atkinson.

[Chuck Diesel]

Woj’s little excuses are kinda odd. We don’t need to know any of that, it’s just a PR favor for Ariza/agents I guess?

[steger_3434]

If Giannis leaves a team coached by Bud who is a perennial 60 win team the moment Kidd left to go to a team that is being coached by Kidd I hope he forever is on a 45 win team and bounced from the playoffs early. I'll be disappointed in him if he leaves, but if that is the reason he leaves he drops off my favorite player list considerably.

[jschligs]

This from bleacher report was stunned when i read this would be shocked to

Spoiler:

There is reportedly some thinking that whichever team hires Jason Kidd as a head coach could have an inside track on potentially landing Giannis Antetokounmpo when he hits free agency.

According to Steve Popper of Newsday, some teams around the league believe Kidd could be a "link" to the reigning MVP. Popper also noted Kidd would be interested in the New York Knicks job.

Marc Stein of the New York Times reported the Knicks received permission from the Los Angeles Lakers to interview Kidd, who is an assistant with the Purple and Gold, for their head coaching vacancy.

Antetokounmpo is under contract with the Milwaukee Bucks through the 2020-21 season.


The four-time All-Star played for Kidd when the latter was the head coach in Milwaukee from 2014-15 until he was fired in January 2018. The Hall of Fame point guard finished with a 139-152 record with the Bucks, leading them to the playoffs twice.

"He's a big part of my success in the league," Antetokounmpo told reporters when publicly speaking about Kidd in 2018 for the first time since the firing. "I'm loyal to the people I work with. I love him as a person. I care about him as a person."

Giannis is one of the few elite players who could instantly turn the Knicks around just by signing there, especially given their status as one of the league's worst teams.

New York has won one playoff series since it reached the 2000 Eastern Conference Finals and finished the 2019-20 campaign with a 21-45 record, failing to earn an invite to Orlando, Florida, for the season's restart plan. It has finished with a losing record in each of the last seven seasons.

Popper believes the Knicks position is still Tom Thibodeau's "job to lose" and also thinks Antetokounmpo will remain with the Bucks, but he suggested underestimating the relationship between Kidd and Giannis would be a mistake when it comes to factors teams will consider when making their coaching decisions.

Ian Begley of SNY reported Kidd is one of many candidates the Knicks plan on interviewing.

They also plan on interviewing current interim head coach Mike Miller, Dallas Mavericks assistant Jamahl Mosley, San Antonio Spurs assistant Will Hardy, Golden State Warriors assistant Mike Brown, Chicago Bulls assistant Chris Fleming, Philadelphia 76ers assistant Ime Udoka, Orlando Magic assistant Pat Delany and former NBA head coaches Mike Woodson, Thibodeau and Kenny Atkinson.

This is a bunch of malarkey, they said the same thing when LA hired him as an assistant. I'm sure Giannis does like Kidd, but there is literally no chance he would leave Milwaukee to go to the Knicks.

If Giannis leaves a team coached by Bud who is a perennial 60 win team the moment Kidd left to go to a team that is being coached by Kidd I hope he forever is on a 45 win team and bounced from the playoffs early. I'll be disappointed in him if he leaves, but if that is the reason he leaves he drops off my favorite player list considerably.

He won't. That'd be moronic of him to do.

[JayMKE]

The Knicks are maybe the worst franchise in pro sports right now with Dolan as owner and NYC is the epicenter of the worst pandemic in a century, I'm LMAO at Thibs and Kidd being their Plan A and Plan B. "Some teams around the league believe" is worthless garbage journalism too, this is why people hate the media so much. I am confident in saying that Giannis will not be a New York Knick any time in the foreseeable future. Maybe they should shift their focus to 40 year old Lebron and Bronny Jr father son duo instead.