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There’s a lot of uncertainty around the 2019-2020 NBA season as the league figures out the best way to handle the outbreak of COVID-19. The Los Angeles Lakers and several other teams have multiple players who have tested positive for the disease, so it seems like the 30-day suspension of action could be extended quite a bit. The hope has been to continue the season where it left off. However, that might not even be possible.
On a recent appearance on The Odd Couple, Lakers veteran Jared Dudely made it seem like the season getting canceled is a real possibility.
“I would say before today, before they shut down the facilities, I was optimistic that if the facilities are still running, and we can still work out, even though it’s not pickup, even though it’s not practice, you’re staying relatively fit where if a month or two from now if they say, ‘Hey, the season is up and running, you have two weeks,’ you’re already in somewhat tip-top shape,” said Dudley.
“Now, once I heard the news of no more practice facilities, if that goes for a month, month and a half, two months, I find it almost impossible to then have a season because now you’re telling a professional athlete for 60 to 80 days you’ve done no training.”
Lack of Personal Gyms Is a Problem
It’s easy to forget that not every player in the NBA is making the same amount of money. Home gyms aren’t cheap and not everybody has one as Dudley pointed out.
“I would say 70 percent of athletes don’t have a personal gym inside their own house. Maybe the star players, maybe they have an elliptical or maybe one of those, but they don’t have no basketball gym.
“You’re asking an athlete now to get ready for two or three weeks for 40 games, potentially, for playoffs and 20 games of regular season. That’s when injuries happen. So I’m not optimistic right now at all for a season.”
Dudley’s comments make it say like cancellation of the NBA season is much more possible than originally thought. That would be disastrous for the Lakers as they’re having a great year and Anthony Davis would hit free agency. There are so many variables that would have to be figured out if the season got canceled. Unless it’s absolutely necessary, it’s hard to imagine the league would actually do it. A shortened season and perhaps shortened playoffs seem much more likely.
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JaVale McGee & Quinn Cook Test Negative
Concern over the NBA season has mounted as multiple players from teams have tested positive for coronavirus. The Lakers have two players who have tested positive, but it’s unknown who exactly did. Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports has ruled out both JaVale McGee and Quinn Cook.
Dudley also ruled himself out, but everybody else is still a possibility. There hasn’t been any word on if LeBron James or Anthony Davis are the players who tested positive. The good news is that both players aren’t showing any symptoms associated with the disease.
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