Each day that passes only brings up more uncertainty for the 2019-20 NBA season as the league is still currently in discussions on if or when it will resume.
There is strong motivation for the NBA to want to continue its regular season, but the safety and logistical hurdles that need to be cleared are proving to be incredibly difficult to overcome.
The 2019-20 regular season was an exciting one filled with plenty of intrigue given the various contenders and exciting young talent on display each and every night. The 2020 NBA Playoffs were also finally starting to take shape, with the Los Angeles Lakers, L.A. Clippers and Milwaukee Bucks separating themselves from the rest of the pack.
However, the evolving coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has put the league and its players in a predicament as both sides need to weigh whether it is worth the risk to come back as soon as they are able to and play as many regular season games as possible. According to Brad Turner of the L.A. Times, it appears most players are in favor of coming back, but there is a healthy minority of those who do not:
One player said he thinks the percentage is “70-30” of players who want to finish the season. “But 30% is a big number,” the player said.
“And what do you say to somebody who says, ‘You know what, I just don’t feel safe?’ It’s hard to argue that. But there are reasons to argue that because I know the NBA would be one of the safest places to be at. That thing would be tight, clean, protocol, all that.”
Recently, a phone conference consisting of players like LeBron James and Anthony Davis formed a united front and said they want to finish the regular season out, while NBA commissioner Adam Silver recently gave a timeline on when a decision is expected to be made.
While both parties want to play as many games as possible, the choice is not completely in their hands as they need to heed the direction of health officials and the government.
Readily available testing is one major issue that needs to be addressed as well as a suitable venue to house game-day operators, team officials, players, and their families. A few proposals are being considered, but so far there have been no definitive decisions made.
The optimism of a return is good to see, but nothing is for certain. Hopefully, though, a resolution is reached sooner rather than later.
