Giannis Antetokounmpo reportedly voices support for 2019-20 season continuing
Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is reportedly among the stars that voiced their support to continue the 2019-20 season when possible.
The topic of the 2019-20 season continuing in light of the coronavirus pandemic has reached the input of the players. That reportedly includes Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
As Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes reported on late Tuesday afternoon, Antetokounmpo was among the superstars on a conference call Monday afternoon, which was arranged by Chris Paul, who, of course, is the president of the National Basketball Players Association.
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Over the last week especially, discussions have really ramped up between the league, NBA commissioner Adam Silver and the players about where things stand and plans for action during this unprecedented time.
Haynes went on to report that the unified front of Antetokounmpo and some of the biggest stars in today’s game is “expected to hold significant weight in the decision-making process for the rest of the league’s players when it’s time to deliberate on whether to restart the season.”
But this passage from Haynes’ report points to the general uneasiness some players, especially those on lottery-bound teams, have regarding the idea of picking the 2019-20 season back up again as well as the financial impact of a cancelled season:
"“In a conference with players on Friday, NBA commissioner Adam Silver stated that he couldn’t guarantee the safety of the players if play resumed in a city where they would be quarantined, but assured them the league would do everything in its power to make the safest conditions possible, sources said.That didn’t sit well with some players, sources said, with a vaccine not expected to be available for a year or two.The majority of players who are essentially eliminated from postseason contention would rather the league start back up with the top eight teams in each conference competing in some sort of playoff, sources said.For some players out of the playoff picture, there’s concern a canceled season could negatively affect the next CBA, sources said.”"
Player safety stands as the biggest issue between now and the season restarting. With practice facilities reopening for teams across the league, now including the Bucks, the feeling and comfort levels of respective players around the NBA will be key in these critical weeks and months as they try to step back into the normal, daily routine again.
But as ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Tuesday night, there’s positive momentum that the league’s owners feel as they continue to hold meetings regarding this season resuming in the foreseeable future. That is in part due to the desire that the NBPA has in wanting to restart the season with the proper precautions in place.
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Optimism continues to grow by the day in regard to the 2019-20 season eventually picking back up again. But the ongoing dialogue and decisions that happen to make that a reality will rely on players like Antetokounmpo’s stature and their willingness to return to action in a feasible and safe environment.