NBA news: LeBron, Kawhi, Giannis, stars' private phone call to return

According to reports, several NBA stars like LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kawhi Leonard have been discussing the suspended 2019-20 season.

While the NBPA “informally” checks in with NBA players about their interest in resuming the league's 2019-20 season, several stars have reportedly been in communication about that very issue.

According to Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes, Los Angeles Lakers star forward LeBron James and Milwaukee Bucks MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, among others, have spoken in a “private conference call” as they seek to resume the suspended season.

Yahoo Sources: NBA superstars LeBron James, Chris Paul, Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard and Stephen Curry held private conference call on Monday and established united front in favor of resuming season. https://t.co/FZJfgP6WDu pic.twitter.com/6AZOWe0AXo

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) May 12, 2020

Oklahoma City Thunder star and NBPA president Chris Paul, Houston Rockets guard Russell Westbrook, Portland Trail Blazers playmaker Damian Lillard, Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant, Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, and Golden State warriors sharpshooter Stephen Curry rounded out the elite group of NBA players on the conference call pushing for the league to reopen after now more than two months of hiatus.

The NBA has been sifting through proposals to continue the season, which still has roughly a third of the regular season's games to go, plus the playoffs to determine a champion. Some have argued to expedite the process and move directly to the postseason when games can continue, while others have focused on firstly finding a location to play games without fans in attendance, with Las Vegas, Nevada, and Orlando, Florida, emerging as candidates for isolated destinations for both conferences to play.

On the same day ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the players' association was “polling” its members on whether they wanted to play again this season or not, the NBPA later recanted the report, calling its player outbreak “informal.”

The star group of James and co. getting together to push for a return this summer could break the dam of any skepticism the NBA would have to officially cancel the 2019-20 season.