The discussion around the NBA’s return has not so subtly shifted further from player safety and closer to financial security over the past week, leading to increased optimism about resuming the 2019-20 season.
In other words, the first league to shut its doors in response to the coronavirus epidemic now appears to be weighing the economic impact of COVID-19 more heavily than the best practices against its spread. The NBA’s influence on public perception of the virus could mean putting a lot more than the health of its players at risk by reopening its doors before testing and containment capabilities improve nationwide.