NBA May Allow Players To Skip Season, Postseason When Play Resumes In Orlando
BOSTON (CBS) -- Though states from coast to coast made tremendous progress in flattening the curve during the coronavirus pandemic, the threats posed by the virus remain very real. And though the NBA is planning and hoping on resuming play this summer, the league remains conscious of that reality.
As such, the league may allow for players who do not wish to play in Orlando to skip out on the remainder of the season and postseason without facing any consequences, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
"The NBA and National Basketball Players Association are agreeing on a plan that would allow players to stay home without consequences," Wojnarowski reported.
The "bubble" nature of the NBA's plans in Orlando, "there has been increased dialogue about the prudence of restarting the season for a number of players, especially those on non-championship contenders," Wojnarowski reported.
"Players are citing a number of concerns, including family situations, the inability to leave the Disney World Resort campus, the coronavirus pandemic and the implications surrounding the emergence of social justice causes in the country," Wojnarowski said. "Participants in Orlando -- including players -- will not be allowed to leave the bubble environment without a 10-day quarantine upon their return to the Disney grounds, sources said."
Wojnarowski noted that healthy players who opt to skip out on playing in Orlando will not get paid for the final eight games of the season, thus cutting their salaries by roughly 10 percent.
The report also noted that the NBA is considering allowing teams to fill vacated roster spots with replacement players, with any player who gets replaced becoming intelligible for the remainder of the season and postseason.
