While other major sports leagues around the world have either already restarted or are getting ready to restart their season, the future of the NBA remains unclear.
The league still has no concrete plans in place for resuming their season after the pandemic-caused break in play, not even a potential target date.
But SBOBET NBA fans should not lose hope yet, as this past week’s NBA 2020 news involving some of the league’s biggest stars should give more optimism that the season could still come back.
NBA teams feeling positive after latest meeting
Commissioner Adam Silver met with the NBA board of governors last week, and the participants of that meeting left feeling positive that the season will eventually push through, ESPN’s NBA insider Adam Wojnarowski reported.
The health and safety of the players remain the utmost priority as testing is still a major issue for the league’s plans to restart.
Although, Silver stressed that teams and players must get comfortable with the idea that a positive test for the coronavirus upon a return would not halt play, otherwise they probably should not even try to restart the season.
There is still no decision on what the format of play the league will adopt should it return. The possibility of having a play-in tournament for teams to make the playoffs has been discussed.
Although, Silver did confirm that the league continues to explore the possibility of holding games in a centralised location, with Orlando’s Walt Disney World Resort and Las Vegas the two main options.
The league is also studying several other factors before deciding on restarting the league, which could take 2-4 weeks.
NBA players want season to resume
Meanwhile, NBA Players’ Association president Chris Paul made the players’ position on the issue clear: they want to return to action.
Paul acknowledges that tough choices must be made first, but the consensus from the players is that they want to play again.
“A lot of hard conversations that have to be made, a lot of hard decisions,” Paul said. “But with the team around us, I think ultimately we’ll get to where we want to. Obviously we want to play. Oh man, we want to play. We want to play bad. And I think that’s a consensus for the guys around the league. We want it to be, obviously, as safe as possible. But the biggest thing is, we miss the game.”
A group of the NBA’s biggest superstars, including top MVP candidates LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook, and Damian Lillard, reportedly took part in a conference call last Monday and were united in their desire to return.
Silver and Paul also hosted a conference call last Friday with the players to address some of the potential concerns the NBA would face if and when it returns.
It’s understandable that the league’s top superstars, most of whom are on teams with the best NBA 2020 odds to win the championship, are eager to resume the season, particularly the playoffs.
But even with the players seemingly fully on board, the league still has some significant hurdles to overcome before the players get back on the court.
More NBA team facilities to reopen this week
While official plans to restart the season are still not clear, the league’s plan to reopen team facilities is well underway.
The Lakers are the latest team to open their facility as they join a growing list that already includes the Cleveland Cavaliers, Utah Jazz, Orlando Magic, Miami Heat, Sacramento Kings, Denver Nuggets, Toronto Raptors, Portland Trail Blazers and Philadelphia 76ers.
The NBA is “hopeful” 22 of its 30 teams will be able to open their facilities for voluntary, individual workouts under heavy restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic by Monday, May 18.
The NBA allowed facilities to reopen on Friday, May 8.
The league issued strict guidelines for workouts at team facilities. No more than four players are allowed within a facility at one time, while group workouts and scrimmages remain prohibited. Coaches also aren’t allowed to be in attendance.
Cleveland Cavaliers forward Larry Nance Jr. said he felt “safe” after he went back to work out in the team’s facility and also echoed the sentiment that players around the league want to finish the season.
The return of players working out at the team facilities is a significant step toward the right direction for the league to restart again. But again, we’ll still have to wait 2-4 weeks before the NBA is in a position to make the big decisions about getting back in action.
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