The NBA is moving forward with its bubble plan to resume the 2019-2020 season in Orlando next month, and they are giving players about a week to decide whether they will participate.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported on Tuesday that teams would like to know by June 24 whether players will partake in the resumed season. Players have the option not to participate and will not be disciplined for doing so. However, they will lose 1/92.6 in compensation for each game missed.
There will be special designations for non-participating players that would allow them to not have their salary reduced.
Sources: Two categories of non-participating NBA players who will not have their salary reduced: “Protected Players” and “Excused Players,” whom are believed to be at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19 from team/experts. June 25 deadline for excused absence.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 16, 2020
Players who are believed to be at a higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 can be classified as excused and not have their pay reduced.
The league is also enforcing strict restrictions about player movement once in the Orlando campus. This is in an effort to avoid the circulation of COVID-19 as much as possible.
Sources: NBA players have been informed that anyone who leaves the Orlando campus (without prior approval) will be subject to:
– 10-14 day self-quarantine
– Reduction in compensation for games missed
– Enhanced testing (deep nasal swab)— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 16, 2020
Some NBA players recently expressed their frustration with the “bubble” rules.
