Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving is at the forefront of a move that could shake the NBA's plan to restart the 2019-20 season. According to Howard Beck of Bleacher Report, the Nets point man is a “driving force” behind organizing a series of Zoom calls between players that have raised concerns about the NBA's plan to resume the season at Walt Disney World.
Bleacher Report's Taylor Rooks estimated 150 players could take part in Friday's Zoom call, but Beck notes it could be as many as 200 — a game-changer of events.
Even if shy under the 200 capsule, the sum of these concerned players could be over 40% of active players, a number large enough to warrant a potential pivot.
Concerned players feel their voices weren't heard during the vote to approve the Board of Governors' plan to resume the season in Orlando — one the league plans for July 30.
Those with their reservations about the plan feared voicing their opinions due to a strong push from the league's star players, who have the most to lose by letting the season go by the wayside.
Some players were concerned about the lack of freedom of movement they would have under the NBA's proposed guidelines for safety. An NBA agent told Beck he estimates that two-thirds of the players in the top 40 would refuse to play under the proposed restrictions.
Others have been concerned about optics, considering they'd be sequestered for three months in Orlando in order for the league and its owners to make up some of the lost revenue caused by the postponement of the regular season due to the coronavirus pandemic.
A league that is predominantly African American would host its players in a bubble at Walt Disney World for the sake of salvaging revenue and public entertainment — two things that don't sit well with a few hoping to make a stand in light of the Black Lives Matter movement.
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