After facing Covid-19 controversy, LeBron James is all set to play for the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of their first-round series against the Phoenix Suns.
But head on over to NBA twitter and fans have been quick to call out the double standard that the league is displaying in favor of LeBron and the Purple & Gold.
Before the non-suspension was announced, fans were already speculating if the league would put the hammer down on LeBron James.
They've seen how the health and safety protocols have been implemented throughout the season and know the procedure when a player violates them. Just ask Caris LeVert, who had to miss the Indiana Pacers two play-in tournament games when he was put in the standard 10-14 day protocol. His Pacers were eliminated at the hands of the Washington Wizards.
But as reported by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the league opted not to suspend James. The reason?
“The nature of the event [LeBron James attended] didn't rise to a threat level of virus spread,” said the report.
With the clear double standard being shown by the league, NBA fans flocked to Twitter to react to LeBron James' preferential treatment over Caris LeVert.
https://twitter.com/iammartin__/status/1396133134010396672?s=20
Some fans had a more pragmatic response. They acknowledge that the NBA treated LeBron James differently, but he's earned the right to be seen as an exception because of his standing as the league's most important player.
The logic behind the non-suspension is obvious. James is your biggest draw, and he plays for the Lakers who are the most popular team in the NBA. But LeBron James, as great as he is, clearly violated protocol that would have gotten nearly any other player suspended. It's fair to say that the NBA dropped the ball here in terms of setting a good example amidst a global pandemic.