The Celtics are tipped to advance on their campaign to win a spot on the 2020 NBA Finals but the team could see an important player opting out of the league's season restart in Orlando's Disney World. Jason Tatum is reportedly hesitant to join the Boston squad that will travel to Florida next month. Mostly, the star worried about health risks.
Naturally, Tatum is wary of catching the coronavirus, which exactly was the fear expressed by a cluster of the NBPA led by Kyrie Irving and Dwight Howard. While the NBA will implement measures to ensure that players and personnel will not be infected by COVID-19, the All-Star is more inclined to play it safe.
If he would decide to skip the Orlando Games that will kick off on July 30, another compelling reason for the rising NBA star is to keep a distance from scenarios that could potentially injure, according to Fadeaway World, and citing the information shared by Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.
"There's the threat of injury, which is especially significant to players on the verge of big contracts," Bondy was reported as saying.
The journalist was referring to an imminent super-max that Boston is expected to offer to Tatum, who will be on his fourth year in the league next season. He is eligible for a huge deal that could tie him up with the Celtics for another five years.
There is no reason for the star not to accept. It is well-known that the Greens are impressed with the 22-year-old so far and the plan is to assemble a Celtics squad that will make Tatum as the centerpiece. If the super-max will indeed come, the Boston forward stands to be richer by at least $170 million.
However, the arrival of his dream contract could be derailed by an injury and more so if the damage done will prove career-ending. Hence, it's not unsurprising that Tatum will express reluctance on playing in a setting that has too many unknowns.
While there is no word yet from Tatum on the possibility of him not in Orlando next month, Mass Live said the Boston star has until next week to finalize his decision. Per the agreement forged by the NBPA with league officials, players uneasy with the idea of participating in the season restart can skip the games minus the risk of breaching their contract.
In Tatum's case and for others as well, sending a formal notice to the NBA is required and they will need to do so before the deadline, and as mentioned will be next week.
In any case, Tatum is said to be making inquiries on getting insurance that will protect him from serious injuries during the Orlando games. The NBA will reportedly pay for the coverage, which according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN will cost around half-a-million for players lined up for a super-max.
