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A growing number of players led by Kyrie Irving and Avery Bradley are voicing their concerns about playing in the Orlando bubble next month.
According to ESPN, several players remain uncertain about committing to the league’s plan to restart the season next month amid the coronavirus pandemic and the social unrest in the country.
Story with @Malika_Andrews: With Kyrie Irving and Avery Bradley leading the way, a coalition of NBA players tell ESPN: “We are truly at an inflection point in history where as a collective community we can band together – unify – and move as one.” https://t.co/waMYanEOBE
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 15, 2020
Via ESPN
As a growing faction of NBA players remains uncertain about committing to the league’s plan for restarting the season in an Orlando bubble environment, a coalition of players including Brooklyn Nets All-Star Kyrie Irving and the Los Angeles Lakers’ Avery Bradley believes it has a responsibility to take on a leading role in exploring answers and solutions for fellow players the group believes to be justifiably reluctant to speak for themselves, sources told ESPN.
The players are pushing back at the NBA’s restart in Orlando and are currently voicing concerns on various issues about the bubble.
Irving, Bradley and the coalition of players want to pursue some concerns further with the league, sources said, including: the investment of resources and ideas of all league constituencies — from the commissioner’s office, ownership level, management and the players’ association — in social justice reform.
Among concerns surrounding the league’s return to play after a three-month shutdown in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, sources said the coalition is citing: a surge in positive coronavirus cases in Florida, conditions surrounding the restrictive environment in the bubble, insurance and liabilities for players based on possible illnesses, and injuries in a truncated finish to the season.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Irving is speaking for more people than initially thought and that there isn’t “great motivation” from players who don’t believe they have a chance to win a championship to return and play in the bubble.
https://twitter.com/TheNBACentral/status/1272740558138736640
The NBA and the players still have time to figure things out but it’s currently unclear how many players will eventually choose to sit out the season.