The NBA and NBPA are "discussing the possibility of holding an All-Star Game in early March -- with Atlanta emerging as the likely site," according to sources cited by Adrian Wojnarowksi of ESPN.com. The traditional All-Star Weekend -- previously scheduled for Indianapolis in February -- was canceled because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, but sources said that there are "ongoing talks with the league and union about a March 7 game in Atlanta that would be a far-scaled-down version of the typical All-Star Weekend festivities." The NBA has a midseason break set for March 5-10. Suns G & NBPA President Chris Paul has been a "proponent of the idea." Sources said that an Atlanta All-Star Game "would include the showcasing and benefiting of historically Black colleges and universities and COVID-19 relief funds." Sources said that both the Hawks' State Farm Arena and Atlanta-based HBCU campus gyms are "under consideration to house a potential game" (ESPN.com, 1/25). A Hawks team source said Atlanta is in “serious conversation” to host this year’s All-Star Game (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 1/26).
ROCK AND A HARD PLACE: Bulls coach Billy Donovan pointed out that the planned break in March "might lead to headaches with or without an All-Star Game." Donovan said, ‘‘If there’s not an All-Star Game and there’s a week off ... what’s going to be the criteria? Because you can have players all around the league leaving their market and going places and coming back and potentially bringing the virus back in. So I really haven’t had much of a conversation of what that’s going to look like" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 1/26).
