The NBA is planning to resume its 2019-20 season at Walt Disney World in Orlando on July 30.
This comes with the state of Florida seeing a huge spike in COVID-19 cases. It has also led to some questioning whether the season will be completed.
Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta not confident the season will conclude
“I think it (the NBA season) is going to get off the ground,” Fertitta said, via the Houston Chronicle. “I don’t know if it’s going to stay. But we’re going to do whatever. You’re going to follow the protocols. It’s no different from one of our businesses. If somebody’s sick, you send them home. Everybody else watch themselves. Sanitize the establishment, and you have to move on.”
That doesn’t sound like a man who firmly believes Walt Disney World’s bubble city will protect players from contracting COVID-19. It’s really is a major issue with about a month remaining until the season is set to resume.
In Florida, COVID-19 cases have been on an upward trajectory in recent days. That included north of 4,000 new cases on June 20.
NBA players opting out, some others testing positive for COVID-19
It was noted just recently that Denver Nuggets star center Nikola Jokic has tested positive for the virus. The likes of Avery Bradley and Trevor Ariza have opted out of returning to Orlando to complete the season.
We have absolutely no idea how many players are going to test positive for COVID-19 now that said tests are going to be widespread in nature. And while the NBA has said it will not halt the season should a player test positive, it could have wide-ranging ramifications on the season.
At the very least, some high-profile figures around the Association don’t seem too confident that the season will be completed.