There are "three main sources of anxiety" among NBA players and execs as a deadline approaches tomorrow for players to "notify their teams whether they wish to withdraw from participation, for whatever reason," in the league's Orlando restart, according to Marc Stein of the N.Y. TIMES. Sources of anxiety are:
- The "location of the contained campus for the restart." This is a "fresh source of unease" as Orange County's increase in positive tests over the past two weeks has "made it an 'infection hotbed,'" as described by Rutgers School of Public Health Dean Perry Halkitis.
- Fears that returning to full-time basketball "may divert momentum from the Black Lives Matter movement."
- The injury risk players will face after "what has been, for many, the longest layoff of their career from full-speed, five-on-five play." This is a "prime worry that has been routinely overlooked with so much else happening" (N.Y. TIMES, 6/23).
Trevor Ariza is skipping the NBA's Orlando return so he can spend time with his sonNBAE/GETTY IMAGES
FIRST KNOWN PLAYERS OPT OUT: ESPN.com's Adrian Wojnarowski cited sources as saying that Trail Blazers F Trevor Ariza is "opting out of participating in the NBA's Orlando restart of the season, committing instead to a one-month visitation window with his young son." Ariza has been "involved in a custody case over his 12-year-old son, and the mother's decision to grant a court-ordered, one-month visitation period during the league's quarantine of teams in Orlando, Florida, led Ariza to choose his parenting responsibilities" (ESPN.com, 6/22). In DC, Chase Hughes noted Wizards F Davis Bertans also "will not play in order to prevent injury before he hits free agency." Hughes wrote Bertans, an unrestricted free agent this fall, is "taking extra precaution" with a "big payday near and two ACL tears in his past" (NBCSPORTSWASHINGTON.com, 6/22).
POOR TIMING: CBSSPORTS.com's James Herbert noted the Florida Department of Health yesterday reported a "terrible milestone," as the state has "passed 100,000 confirmed COVID-19 infections." New cases have been "trending up for more than a month, and in recent days the positive test rate has been roughly" 12%. NBA teams will travel to Orlando beginning on July 7 (CBSSPORTS.com, 6/22). In DC, Ben Golliver writes although other areas of Florida, such as Miami-Dade County, have been "hit harder," Orange County, home to Disney World (which also will host MLS' return tournament), saw new cases "rise significantly last week." Golliver: "If the NBA’s bubble were impenetrable -- allowing no outsiders in and no insiders out -- the conditions in Florida would be less concerning." However, the plan does "not prohibit players from leaving the bubble or expel them from competition if they are caught off campus." Disney employees who "service the players’ rooms and a portion of media members who will cover games will be allowed to work in the bubble and return to their homes or hotels outside it" (WASHINGTON POST, 6/23).
CONFUSING TIMES: ESPN's Jay Williams said he is "hearing confusion" when talking to NBA players. Williams: "There are spikes happening in Florida. Is that due to an increase in testing? You hear reports that testing increasing, but how does that correlate? So many things are being politicized and weaponized that it leaves the everyday person trying to fend for themselves” (“Get Up,” ESPN, 6/23).
