The National Basketball Players Association only “approved further negotiations with the NBA” on a 22-team resumption. It wasn’t a done deal.
But with the planned Disney World restart approaching, the union, as expected, has approved all relevant details.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN:
As expected, NBA and NBPA have finalized terms of the revised CBA for the Orlando restart, sources tell ESPN. All items in Saturday’s league memo to teams are agreed upon. Transaction window starts at noon.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 23, 2020
One change for use to replacement players in Orlando, per league memo to teams: Replacing a player with Covid-19 must occur no later than 7 days following confirmed positive player resumes training.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 23, 2020
NBA and NBPA have agreed to put into place an enhanced insurance plan for players in Orlando that would cover career-ending injuries related to Covid-19 or conventional basketball injuries, sources tell ESPN. Potential group policy would cover players for several million dollars.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 23, 2020
Talk of players boycotting the resumption en masse never turned into reality. Some individuals – Wizards forward Davis Bertans and Trail Blazers forward Trevor Ariza so far – will decide to sit out. But that will be a personal choice. As a collective, players are playing.
Of course, many still have concerns – from coronavirus to injury to standard of living in the bubble to social justice.
The enhanced insurance is designed to assuage players worried about injury. Several players entering their contract-extension window – Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell, Heat big Bam Adebayo, Kings guard De’Aaron Fox and Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma – pushed for this. These young players have been relatively modestly paid so far and stand to land major paydays this offseason. Of course, a question: Who will foot the cost of this enhanced insurance? It can be expensive.
Not playing would have been far more costly for players.
Which is why we’re here.
