The 2019-20 season, which was postponed in March, is scheduled to start again on July 31. 22 of the 30 NBA teams gather in Orlando, Florida to end the season at the Disney World complex.
Although Silver is certain that “it will be safer on this campus than outside this campus”, a “significant spread” of positive cases between players could result in the season being canceled.
“”[It’s] Never ‘full steam no matter what happens.’ One thing we learn about this virus is that a lot is unpredictable. “
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The NBA recently announced that after testing 302 of its players, 16 had tested positive. One of these 16, DeAndre Jordan of the Brooklyn Nets, posted on Twitter that he would not travel to Florida after his positive test.
The ratio of positive cases at the moment does not worry Silver. “It is not alarming what we see in the wider population,” says Silver. “In a lot of ways, it was a bit predictable. Where I’m most relieved … is that there are no severe cases among these 16 positive tests.”
A coalition of NBA players – led by Brooklyn Nets’ point guard Kyrie Irving – has spoken out against restarting the league and instead decided to suspend the rest of the season to continue focusing on the Black Lives Matter movement and the movement to focus worldwide call for social change after the murder of George Floyd by the police in May.
However, Silver believes players can do more good by using their platforms during the restart, with the eyes watching the sports world.
And Silver supports the players and their desire to express themselves.
“These athletes understandably want to be heard on these issues,” said Silver. “And we also have, at least in the case of the NBA, a league in which about 75% of our players are black.
“They are probably some of the most famous blacks around the world. They don’t just park their skin color or who they are when they play basketball. They have their life experiences and want to bring them to fruition.”
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