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The 2019-20 NBA season is still a long ways away from resuming. The coronavirus pandemic suspended the season in mid-March, and it likely won’t be back until after the NBA Finals were scheduled to conclude.
If we get the season back, that is.
That’s still a very big “if,” but many of the NBA’s biggest stars got together on Tuesday — virtually, of course — to reiterate their desire to finish out the season when it is safe and responsible to do so.
According to a report from Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, Chris Paul — point guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder and president of the National Basketball Players Association — arranged a conference call on Tuesday that featured Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry, as well as former Warriors star and current Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant.
The call also included LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers), Anthony Davis (Lakers), Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers), Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks), Kawhi Leonard (Los Angeles Clippers), and Russell Westbrook (Houston Rockets).
Haynes reported that the call featured unanimous support to restart the season when it’s safe to do so, and added that the agreement of the star players could hold a lot of meaning:
The group’s decision is expected to hold significant weight in the decision-making process for the rest of the league’s players when it’s time to deliberate on whether to restart the season.
It’s certainly worth noting that the reported crop of players on the call features players from championship favorites, like James, Davis, Antetokounmpo, and Leonard; players from fringe playoff teams, like Durant and Lillard; and players from eliminated playoff teams, like Curry. The whole spectrum of teams is covered.
We have no idea when basketball will return, but this is a step — albeit a small one — towards resumption.