Injured Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving has urged fellow players to boycott the July restart of the NBA in Florida. Some of the biggest names in the NBA, including Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard and Donovan Mitchell were vocal opponents of the league’s July 21 restart plan.
Irving, the Players Association Vice-President, was against the idea of the proposed restart in the current climate of unrest in the U.S. He highlighted the need for the players to make a public stand for social reform in the U.S.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported Irving’s statement: “I’m willing to give up everything I have for social reform.”
Kyrie Irving on players call Friday, per sources: “I’m willing to give up everything I have (for social reform)."
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 13, 2020
Ruled out for the remainder of the season with a shoulder injury, Irving vowed to support the playing group if they decided to press ahead with the July restart in Florida. Support for Irving’s proposal hasn’t been unanimously received across the NBA, with LA Lakers talisman LeBron James determined to finish out the season according to the New York Times:
“Because of everything that’s going on, people are finally starting to listen to us — we feel like we’re finally getting a foot in the door. How long is up to us. We don’t know. But we feel like we’re getting some ears and some attention, and this is the time for us to finally make a difference.”
Terminating the remainder of the season could send the NBA into a financial meltdown. The players potentially could lose $1.2 billion and place the Collective Bargaining Agreement at risk for the 2021 season.
The league is scheduled to return on July 31, in a hub style environment at Disney World. The reduced season is expected to finish as late as October, with the Lakers leading the betting line for the championship.
