In five days, NBA players will have to tell their teams whether they plan to play when the league returns to play in the Orlando “bubble” — but there’s no indication yet on who —or how many — will choose that option.
Nor is there any indication where those who opt out will be motivated by Kyrie Irving and Avery Bradley’s call for more social justice or by the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Florida.
Ian Begley writes that it looks like some players will indeed decide to stay home.
A handful of players involved in Friday’s call over concerns about plans to restart the 2019-20 season expressed strongly that they would consider not playing, according to a source familiar with the call.