NBA players reportedly asked to weigh in on re-start
Basketball
By
AFP
| May 14, 2020
The National Basketball Players Association has informally polled players to gauge their appetite for resuming a season halted by the Covid-19 pandemic, US media reported on Tuesday.
ESPN was among multiple outlets reporting the players' union had begun asking players to respond to a "yes or no" question about whether the season should resume.
The Los Angeles times cited unnamed players who said they were asked via text, with one player saying he thinks about 70 per cent of players want to finish a season that ground to a halt on March 11.
"But 30 per cent is a big number," the player told the newspaper. "And what do you say to somebody who says, 'You know what, I just don't feel safe?' It's hard to argue that. But there are reasons to argue that because I know the NBA would be one of the safest places to be at. That thing would be tight, clean, protocol, all that."
The polling is reportedly being handled by regional union representatives, and the questions posed by each could differ slightly.
The NBPA told The Athletic that it was "not engaging in and has not authorised any formal poll of its players."
NBPA executive director Michele Roberts, executive committee members including president Chris Paul and other players held a conference call Friday with league commissioner Adam Silver to discuss various topics.
Yahoo Sports reported that Oklahoma City star Paul held a private conference call with superstars across the league on Tuesday.