Kyrie Irving spearheaded a group of players opposed to the return of basketball in July, arguing that the resumed NBA games will only distract from the more pressing concerns of the day - the COVID-19 outbreak and the Black Lives Matter movement. The Nets superstar is unlikely to support the planned season restart in Orlando and Dwight Howard is with him.
Irving and Howard taking the lead in the fight against racism gained the support of NBPA members, and the latest to show his support is Damian Lillard. The Trail Blazers point guard said he is all for the cause and stressed his fellow players raised a valid point.
"Our mind is with our people. We feel like we should be a part of that, we should be a part of that fight ... Maybe we should be focused on that," Bleacher Report quoted Lillard as saying.
However, the Portland star also acknowledged the fact that the majority of his colleagues in the NBA need to earn their keep, which NBPA president Chris Paul had asserted during the union's online conference last June 12. Paul reminded that not playing will impact on the finances of players, and Lillard is in agreement with the union chief.
The Trail Blazers star is fully aware that his voice of protest would be best heard by playing and using the NBA as a platform for the advocacy to demand racial equality and social justice. At the same time, returning to play will allow him to continue earning and provide for his family.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver has stated that the season restart would demand "enormous sacrifice" on the part of players and league employees so it's wholly understandable if some of them would uncomfortable returning amid the health risks and the agitated environment.
Silver, however, believes that players on the court would be able to amplify their support on the protest movement as the world will certainly watch when the games are played again.
The latest indicators from Howard pointed to the Lakers star not participating in the Orlando games as his camp admitted that the eight-time All-Star is focused "on the current national conversation." The big man seemed adamant that the NBA's return will be mostly a distraction.
Howard skipping Orlando should not be a problem for a star that has so far collected $250 million in career earnings but according to Silver Screen & Roll, the same cannot be said of players "at the lower rungs of the league."
The report said players can surely opt to stay home when the games are resumed in July but the NBA has made clear, if there is no medical justification for their absence then they will receive no pay. For high-profile NBA guys like Howard and Irving, it's not something to worry about.
