While most NBA fans sitting at home are anxiously awaiting the return of pro basketball, Shaquille O’Neal says the 2019-20 should be cancelled so teams can focus on staying healthy and getting ready for next season.
Shaq spoke with USA Today and further explained that any champion crowned this season would likely carry an “asterisk” next to their name — something no competitor wants.
"I think we should scrap the season,” O’Neal told USA Today. “Everybody go home, get healthy, come back next year. Just scrap the season. Just scrap it.
“To try and come back now and do a rush playoffs as a player? Any team that wins this year, there's an asterisk. They're not going to get the respect.
"What if a team that's not really in the mix of things all of a sudden wins with a new playoff format? Nobody is going to respect that. So, scrap it. Worry about the safety of the fans and the people. Come back next year."
If anyone knows about earning hardware, it’s Shaq, who won three titles with the Lakers and one with the Heat, including three Finals MVPs.
But beyond that, O’Neal makes the point that it may be hard to truly keep everyone safe from COVID-19 infections, even if the NBA plans carefully to minimize risks.
NBA
"However long it takes for us to get 100 percent back to normal, I'm willing to wait," O'Neal said.
"All it takes is one person. After the game, you've still got to go home. What if one person gets sick? Then we start from zero again."
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