June 14, 2020 | 8:10pm If LeBron James wants the NBA to return, then that’s what will happen. That’s Patrick Beverley’s prediction, no matter what Kyrie Irving, Dwight Howard or anyone else says. The Clippers’ pesky defensive-minded guard went on Twitter to make that clear, writing Sunday that “Hoopers say what y’all want. If @King…
LeBron James will win NBA restart battle: Patrick Beverley —
The NBA is putting a return-to-play plan in place, and one of the United States’ top doctors is “very pleased” with what he’s seen. Dr. Anthony Fauci on Saturday told Stadium he’s impressed with the plan the league has put together ahead of resuming its 2019-20 season. The league will bring 22 teams down to…
Dr. Anthony Fauci ‘Very Pleased’ With NBA’s Proposed Return-To-Play Plan — NESN.com
[ad_1] Lakers star Dwight Howard believes the return of the NBA would be an unwelcome distraction from the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement. The league is still negotiating the details of a 2020 restart over three months after the coronavirus pandemic forced the season to be suspended. There are said to be plans […]
Dwight Howard would give up NBA Championship for ‘unity of my people’ — The Latest News
NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball appears headed to its shortest season since the 1870s. Continuing a contentious back-and-forth in a bitter dispute over pay, baseball players told the commissioner’s office on Saturday night that additional talks to start the season during the coronavirus pandemic are pointless and said owners should order a return […]
Baseball players say talks futile, tell MLB to order return — PCPatriot
It can’t be easy on the body to go from the physical intensity of the tail-end of the NBA season, to a four-month hiatus, and then try to rev things back up again. Even with a training camp. So young players, like Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum and others close to free agency or contract…
NBA Rumors: Jayson Tatum Reportedly Talking To NBA About League Financed Insurance — NESN.com
Kyrie Irving apparently isn’t on board with the idea of restarting the NBA season, believing it will divert attention from the protests against police brutality and racial inequality dominating the national conversation. But a few players disagree. LeBron James reportedly thinks he can play basketball again while simultaneously inspiring societal change, and Houston Rockets guard…
Rockets’ Austin Rivers Counters Kyrie Irving’s Argument Against Restarting NBA — NESN.com
Kyrie Irving apparently isn’t on board with the idea of restarting the NBA season, believing it will divert attention from the protests against police brutality and racial inequality dominating the national conversation. But a few players disagree. LeBron James reportedly thinks he can play basketball again while simultaneously inspiring societal change, and Houston Rockets guard Austin Rivers also had a counterargument against Irving. Rivers made the point that the NBA coming back puts money in players’ pockets, which they could then turn around and donate to the Black Lives Matter movement. Not to mention, Rivers brought up that, “99 percent of the NBA hasn’t made the money a guy like Kyrie has,” and those players need that money. “NBA basketball is predominately African American … and a lot of our audience is too,” Rivers’ said Saturday on Instagram, via ESPN. “Us providing entertainment and hope for kids is important. Also keeping SOME kids indoors and watching basketball games on TV instead of maybe going out and getting into trouble, (due to the unfair and unequal environments a lot of African American kids are placed in) is important too. “NOT saying basketball is a cure for that but basketball can maybe provide a distraction.” Austin Rivers responds to Kyrie Irving being opposed to resuming the NBA season in Orlando. pic.twitter.com/D7A7jbpUE2 — ESPN (@espn) June 13, 2020 Rivers also made note of the ramifications of not playing this year and how it will impact the CBA, money from television networks and a number of other economical factors. “I love Kyrie’s passion towards helping this movement,” Rivers said. “It’s admirable and inspiring. I’m with it … but in the right way and not at the cost of the whole NBA and players careers. We can do it both. We can play and we can help change the way black lives are lived.”
Read more at: https://nesn.com/2020/06/rockets-austin-rivers-counters-kyrie-irvings-argument-against-restarting-nba/
Around 80 players hopped on a conference call Friday night to discuss concerns about resuming the NBA season, and one detail flew under the radar amid news that Kyrie Irving is against the league’s return in Orlando. Hidden in the middle of a report by The Athletic’s Shams Charania detailing the discussion points was some…
NBA Rumors: NBPA Doesn’t Expect Fans At Games For Entire 2020-21 Season — NESN.com
Around 80 players hopped on a conference call Friday night to discuss concerns about resuming the NBA season, and one detail flew under the radar amid news that Kyrie Irving is against the league’s return in Orlando. Hidden in the middle of a report by The Athletic’s Shams Charania detailing the discussion points was some bad news for fans. Apparently, the league’s players association doesn’t anticipate seeing spectators at all next year. “The NBPA’s leadership stated it is believed no fans will be permitted into games for the entire 2020-21 season,” Charania reported. So on top of the economic hit the league is taking this year with the whole four-plus-month coronavirus hiatus, now the NBA maybe won’t be seeing any revenue next year in the form of ticket sales. If that happens, we’ll likely be seeing the financial ramifications impact the league for years to come.
NBA Rumors: Jayson Tatum Reportedly Talking To NBA About League-Financed Insurance
Read more at: https://nesn.com/2020/06/nba-rumors-nbpa-leaders-say-fans-not-expected-for-entire-2020-21-season/
The NBA informed teams in a memo Saturday that COVID-19 testing for players and staff taking part in the league’s restart will begin June 23 and take place every other day.
NBA players to have virus tests every other day —
Tim Bontemps ESPN
The NBA informed teams in a memo Saturday that COVID-19 testing for players and staff taking part in the league’s restart will begin June 23 and take place every other day.
The memo, which was obtained by ESPN, says players and “essential team staff” — any coaches, trainers or medical personnel who will be working with players directly, or will be part of the travel party to Orlando, Florida — will be administered both a COVID-19 test and an antibody test on June 23.
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Each person will then be administered another COVID-19 test every other day, as well as the two days directly before the team leaves for Walt Disney World. All teams are currently scheduled to arrive at Walt Disney World between July 7 and July 9.
The memo doesn’t say what type of testing the league will use, but sources told ESPN’s Zach Lowe that it is a less invasive nasal swab, and possibly much less invasive than the one that has been common so far.
The memo also doesn’t say what the protocol will be for anyone who tests positive for the coronavirus. It also doesn’t include any details about what the testing protocols will be after teams arrive in Orlando.
The NBA has partnered with Quest Diagnostics to provide the tests and has assured that the tests the league use won’t take away from the tests necessary for front-line health care workers, first responders or symptomatic patients in each team’s city. The league also plans to offer both a COVID-19 test and an antibody test to household members of players and essential staff on June 23, and will also provide free, public testing in each of the 21 cities with teams participating in the league’s restart next month.
International players who left the country have been asked to return to their home markets by Monday, with the remainder of players scheduled to return by June 22. Teams are expected to have close to three weeks after arriving in Orlando to prepare for the season to resume on July 30.
UPDATE (11:31 p.m. ET): There actually will not be another proposal from the league, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. There will be NO counter from #MLB. It’s in Commissioner Rob Manfred’s hands. — Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) June 14, 2020 ORIGINAL STORY: The negotiations to start the 2020 Major League Baseball season don’t appear to…
MLB Rumors: League Responds To Denial Of Latest Offer; Not Expected To Send New Proposal — NESN.com
With no baseball to be played and an infuriating impasse between Major League Baseball and its players, Randal Grichuk has to get his swings somewhere other than at the plate. Read More
Blue Jays Grichuk lashes out at MLB owners and commissioner Rob Manfred — Toronto Sun
Social justice issues and how the NBA restart impacts them was a big part of the call.
Kyrie Irving on NBA restart: “I don’t support going into Orlando” — ProBasketballTalk | NBC Sports
A full year later it still doesn’t fully register. Read More
THE RECIPE FOR A RAPTORS CHAMPIONSHIP — Toronto Sun
The view from left field 