The NBA will resume its season with 22 teams in Orlando next month, but Carmelo Anthony is not sure if he will participate.
Anthony told Turner Sports’ Ernie Johnson that he is “up in the air” about playing in the resumed season.
Concerns about the rigid rules of bubble life, as well as fears the restart could sap momentum from the Black Lives Matter movement so many NBA players are actively supporting, have led to a growing belief leaguewide that there will be players who choose not to play in Orlando
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 12, 2020
On Wednesday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowksi said that some NBA players were questioning whether restarting the league was a good idea. Anthony is among that group of players.
Terms of the restart that some players might find objectionable include a 48-hour quarantine upon arriving at Disney World and the inability to have visitors for 60 days while within the “bubble” environment.
After backing the 22-team restart via vote by team player reps, @TheNBPA said "various details remain to be negotiated" and final approval required that "all parties reach agreement on all issues relevant to resuming play"
That agreement was expected by the end of this week
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 12, 2020
Recognizing that some players may be reluctant to participate in the resumed season under these circumstances, the league reportedly is coming up with possible solutions, such as having replacement players ready to fill in for players who get injured, opt not to play, or test positive for COVID-19.
Anthony is averaging 15.3 points per game for Portland, which is ranked ninth in the Western Conference standings.
