Published 12:14 IST, June 16th 2020
NBA commissioner Adam Silver admits restart plan might not suit every player: Report
NBA chief Adam Silver recently explained that he would understand if every player is not on board with the NBA restart plan at Disney World in Florida.
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NBA chief Adam Silver revealed that the NBA restart plan might not suit each and every player in the league. Although the NBA restart date has been tipped for July 30, Silver touched upon the several challenges the NBA will face to resume potential action by the end of next month. Disney World, Florida has been identified as the potential location for the resumption the sport for the completion of the regular season and NBA commissioner Silver will reportedly be willing to ‘accept’ whatever decision is made by the individual players of the league.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver on NBA restart
Over the past several days, reports have claimed that some NBA players might opt to skip the restart of the league which is set to be hosted at Disney World in Florida. NBA commissioner Adam Silver joined ESPN’s Mike Greenberg amid decisions being made to resume the major sports leagues in the United States and the 58-year-old was quick to mention that the NBA restart might ‘not be for everyone’. Silver highlighted that the NBA restart might entail plenty of sacrifice on behalf of the players, coaches and everyone involved with the sport.
Adam Silver then touched upon the difficulties being faced by the NBA to resume action as people are still looking for normal life to return after the pandemic has left 40 million citizens unemployed. More so, there is social unrest in the country at the moment with the ongoing protests as some players may feel their time might be best spent elsewhere. Adam Silver also stated that he would be willing to accept any decisions made by individual players ahead of the potential NBA restart date set for July 30.
Adam Silver on ESPN: "We also have an arrangement with the Players Association where if a player chooses not to come, it's not a breach of his contract. We accept that." pic.twitter.com/A6ApvVWyjH
— Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) June 16, 2020
Kyrie Irving and Avery Bradley provide a voice for concerned NBA stars
The interview with NBA commissioner Adam Silver came after Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving and Los Angeles Lakers guard Avery Bradley organized a union for players to voice their concerns ahead of the NBA restart. Irving and Bradley discussed issues of how much attention would be taken away from the ongoing 'Black Lives Matter' campaign if the season resumes as well as what type of insurance would be put in place if a player gets injured or falls sick. Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard also joined the interview and explained that he does not feel 100 percent comfortable about playing amid the COVID-19 pandemic but would be willing to take a risk.
Adam Silver addressed the issues of the players and said that there is no perfect solution at the moment as there will always be risks involved with the resumption of sport. However, the NBA commissioner explained that the goal is to provide and put together a safe solution for the NBA restart. The NBA was suspended on March 11 and Silver never expected the league to have such a long break when the decision to halt the sport was announced.
Image Credits- NBA.com
12:14 IST, June 16th 2020