Several prominent members of the NBA community have pushed back against the idea that the 2019-20 season should be canceled, and Charles Barkley is one of the latest.
Barkley said during an appearance on ESPN’s “Get Up!” on Monday that it would be a “catastrophic mistake” for the NBA to not resume the season. If players want to join the Black Lives Matter movement and serve as an inspiration, Barkley feels their best way of accomplishing that is by getting back on the court.
"I have no idea what Kyrie and Dwight are talking about, but it’d be a catastrophic mistake not to play."
—Charles Barkley pic.twitter.com/Wh7Fp8dXKo
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) June 15, 2020
“I think it would be stupid not to play for two reasons. Number one, if they don’t play they’re gonna be out of sight, out of mind for the rest of the year,” Barkley said. “LeBron
(James) is probably the most famous athlete in the United States. He won’t be visible anywhere.
“Also, these guys got to realize this money’s gonna come back, and they’re gonna lose billions of dollars that the players could use and go into their own communities and do some great stuff. It’s not good on any front. I have no idea what Kyrie (Irving) and Dwight (Howard) are talking about, but it’d be a catastrophic mistake not to play.”
Stephen A. Smith made similar remarks on the same program earlier in the day when he criticized Irving and Howard for trying to convince people that the season should not resume. While he has not said it publicly, LeBron reportedly believes he can make a positive impact with the social justice movement while playing basketball.
Irving organized a conference call for players on Friday night to discuss some concerns. Howard has said he thinks playing basketball would be a “distraction” at the moment, though he has not made a decision about playing. Despite all that, it does not sound like the resumption of the NBA season is in jeopardy.
