So: How will you feel about a Blazers player who refuses to play (whether for political or health reasons, or just because he doesn't feel comfortable)? (And don't assume it will be, or will only be, Carmelo.)
I look at it as an individuals choice, but no play then no pay so they need to decide with that in mind.
More power to them. It's just a job, your life is more important than a game of basketball. In my opinion, the league doesn't have the right to force anyone to play by withholding their pay. Let the players keep it.
Their prerogative. Dealing with the same issues in our work environment about returning to the office. Why should these guys be any different? Hell, it's probably worse because they can't wear masks and socially distance while playing. It would just be easier to cancel this season, have the draft/lotto/FA for next season and resume in October. $ be damned.
I think it's clear how this person feels (should've been posted in https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/)
Yeah but then you might as well cancel next season as well. What is going to change between now and October? The hope of a vaccine? It is probably safer now due to the hot weather in Florida then it will be in the late fall and winter everywhere else. Either way, there will be risk.
I mean, it's a good point that we aren't going to be any better three months later. Hard to argue with it. Vaccines are still a ways out, but I'm hoping there will be more efforts to do some contact tracing at least. We should get some indication of herd immunity once the fallout about cases from the protests manifest in a few weeks.
With all the outbreaks in hot countries it's been pretty much debunked that hot weather kills the virus as South America, South Africa as well as some of the warmer southern states are experiencing spikes.
It will be interesting to see how many decide not to play and how that affects the return of the NBA next month.
Hey, hadn't heard that MANY, not few, are leery of coming back. If they aren't all in, then they shouldn't restart. Solidarity is the only way to go about this. I back whatever decision the players make. Even though it would be a bummer, it's not my decision. I will love the Blazers players no matter what. I consider them my extended family. Just the way i feel.
I think trying to 'finish' the season at this point is truly fucking stupid. If the NBA loses 2.5B because of a truncated season, and the players are OK with taking their fair share of financial pain, I'd respect that a lot and yeah, that means next season is in jeopardy as well. Welcome to the pandemic NCAA football is in the extremely early stages of trying to salvage next season and already, several schools are having multiple players test positive and be quarantined. The university of Houston just today suspended all voluntary workouts when 6 players tested positive; and the worse news there is that they only tested the players that were showing symptoms.