5:15pm: A “sizable” number of players are advocating to finish the season since they’ve made sacrifices to be at the bubble and they believe the NBA platform is a valuable resources, reports Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link).
“We’re already here,” one star player said to Haynes (Twitter link). “Let’s finish what we started.”
5:09pm: In the wake of today’s player boycotts, the rest of the 2019/20 NBA season “is in jeopardy,” a veteran player tells Chris Mannix of SI.com (Twitter link).
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski passes along the same quote (via Twitter), though it’s not clear if it came from the same veteran player or a different one. Meanwhile, when asked if the season will continue, one player who spoke to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press (Twitter link) replied, “I’ve heard yes and I’ve heard no.”
As Wojnarowski writes, emotions in Orlando are “raw,” with players already worn out by the bubble environment and fed up with social and racial injustices prior to the Jacob Blake shooting.
Players are meeting on campus tonight at 8:00 pm eastern time to discuss next steps, and every player is invited to attend that meeting, sources tell Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe (Twitter link). That discussion will go a long way toward determining the fate of the rest of the season, according to Wojnarowski (Twitter link), who adds that talks about postponing Thursday’s three games are ongoing.
For more details on today’s boycotts, be sure to check out our previous stories from this afternoon.
I’m not mad at this. Another excuse why lebron won’t win a ring with the lakers.
Hopefully it gives Westbrook enough time to play in game 5.
China, er, Nike is mad at this!
What I’d like to know is how is it that one team decides to boycott but yet the team that showed up and went through prep just gets to decide to not play. Should have been a forfeit. Why does Orlando get stiffed when they were prepared to play
Because Orlando rejected the forfeit out of respect and understanding. Which most Americans aren’t capable of – hence the mess this country is in.
No they didn’t. They rejected the forfeit to avoid the bad public relations.
Players of different sadnesses should not get a competitive advantage over each other.
3-7
More importantly, will this affect the WNBA??? ;)
That’s what most people are worried about
The wubble will weigh on! (the issues) ;)
Who cares about the NBA anymore. From what I have read is that their viewership was down the last couple years and even more since I’ve returned. Boycotting the season or canceling the season doesn’t hurt anybody but themselves. If they’re trying to make a point I don’t know what that point is.The NBA is in bed with BLM and China.
Lol it was at an all time high, be racist elsewhere. I’m sorry not sorry young talented black men in the NBA have millions and you just have an angry laptop.
First of all you don’t even know me so to call me a racist is very ignorant on your part. Secondly I think you’re wrong as far as the viewing goes.
Correct! We DONT know you, so all we have to judge you by (if we choose to judge) are your comments. And if those comments come across as racist…..
Oh, I get it,because I don’t share your same opinion or way of thinking I’m racist. What do you call the Black people that don’t share your same views? Are they racist too? I get it anybody that doesn’t conform to your views or that you cannot control the way they think is a racist. That makes total sense to me.
Jump shot please tell me what I said that is racist I’m very curious.
That’s what I thought Jump Shot. You have no answer. How typical of the left. You call people a racist and then can not back it up. Why am I not surprised?
This is what’s wrong on here. People like Jump Shot and Whoneedsfacts come on here and call people a racist. However, when you call them out on that and ask them to defend their opinion they hide and don’t want to participate in a civil debate. That’s because they have no facts to back up what they said. They are kind of like those kids in Miami that slammed their skateboards into the police car windshield. However, when the police came out of all four doors they scattered like a bunch of cowards. Whether you like my opinion or not doesn’t matter to me. I will always defend it though and hopefully in a respectful way.
Viewership down 40% since 2012. Wow you just throw stuff out there don’t you?
Compared to the last season, ABC’s first playoff game of this season fell 23 percent in ratings and 21 percent in viewership.
“The Lakers’ win ranks as ABC’s least-watched playoff opener in five years (2015 Pelicans-Warriors: 3.49M), with the caveat that this year marked the first time since 2004 that it did not air a game on the opening day of the postseason,”
On paper this is great
Reality is police are not listening to nba players
I mean, you are here. I assume you care about it.
Haven’t watched a second if it Since it returned. You do know what the word assume means correct?
If you don’t care about something…you don’t think about it. Or write about it. You get that. Correct?
Since you are responding to me means you care about me and what I write? LOL nice logic.
There is a problem with policing in this country and with criminal justice, in general. If some players want to stop and address the issue because it is an existential threat to their community that seems reasonable. They are not as replaceable as people in other types of work so they can use that to their advantage. Use their influence to try and affect change. I can’t say I would do differently in their shoes.
Except they ARE as replaceable as people in other types of work. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of really good basketball players ready to take their place if they decide not to play. Sure the talent level might go down in the short term, but eventually new stars would emerge and everyone would move on. It doesn’t matter what your job is, there are always replacements standing by.
People desire great not good basketball that’s why the d league isn’t popping
The D League isn’t popping because there IS a better brand of basketball available. And because they are not on TV. If the D League was the best available and on TV as much as the NBA, people would watch.
The XFL didn’t fail because they were bad, thy failed because there was a better option in the NFL.
Yeah man, theres literally thousands of lebrons and giannis’. Get the oof outta here.
Who were Lebron and Giannis before they became stars? Just a couple of high school kids playing hoops. There are a couple of high school kids playing hoops that will replace them one day.
If they are not replaceable, does that mean the NBA should shut down when they retire? Even Jordan was replaceable.
Very well put, Howler, and I couldn’t agree with you more. I really don’t understand the negativity on the comment sections for NBA players doing something that seems very reasonable.
Bedbath, The question is what are they accomplishing by this? They are accomplishing absolutely nothing.
NBA beat COVID. In March that statement would seem crazy at best. It would be an absolute joke to end the season because someone decided to re-write the book on how to not act around cops.
Very correct
Of course it’s no they don’t want to lose money
Until the philosophy
Which hold one race superior and another
Inferior
Is finally
And permanently
Discredited
And abandoned
Everywhere is war
Me say war
That until there no longer
First class and second class citizens of any nation
Until the color of a man’s skin
Is of no more significance than the color of his eyes
Me say war
That until the basic human rights
Are equally guaranteed to all
Without regard to race
Dis a war
That until that day
The dream of lasting peace,
World citizenship
Rule of international morality
Will remain in but a fleeting illusion to be pursued,
But never attained
Now everywhere is war
War
– Bob Marley
That is as me-first as it gets
Agree with Bob or he declares war
The silence will be so peaceful
Lmao.
We are going to boycott and not play games.
Smart move. Get the season shut down, lose your “platform”, and drive more fans away.
Brilliant.
What happens when you let inmates run the asylum.
The “boycott” is really a postponement to attempt to appease the mob. No way the nba overlords in China let this season end like this
what happens when you let an inmate run the white house?
We did from 2001-2009
Bush Jr. was kind of dumb, but he wasn’t that bad.
They can all go to Portland where no fouls are ever called.
Somebody please answer this question. How does boycotting games or canceling the season help their cause?Are they not smart enough realize they are throwing the baby out with the bath water?
It’s frustration man, plain and simple. The United States has an addiction to murdering black and black men are at their wits end trying to solve that addiction.
Starts at home.
Unpopular fact. Black cities are violent. That’s not to say black people are violent. Thats to say some of largest cities with the worst murder and violent crime statistics are primarily black.
New Orleans (60% black), Baltimore (62.5%), Detroit (79%), Memphis (64%), Birmingham (74%), St Louis (46.5%, White is also 46.5% but crimes committed by race is vastly different).
And let’s not start with black on black crime.
Ever hear of the broken window theory? If not its worth a read.
The long story short is the community around you has an impact on how you perceive others and yourself and helps influence your perception of what is acceptable vs. unacceptable. Fix up the community. fix up the reputation, you’ll see better results about change you’re hoping for.
That’s actually exactly what a lot of protesters and advocates for change are asking for: more attention, funds, resources, education for black communities. And the black community has been asking for this for decades, but still no change, and still high levels of crime and police brutality. So they’re tired of asking, and I don’t blame them. It’s time to start demanding and calling more attention to it.
bedbath, that is a traditional answer, and maybe not what is being demanded. “Conditions” haven’t changed. NBA games affect the non-political people, so that one is not preaching to the choir. Its like when a protest moves on to a freeway… Seems like a bizaare choice but a new audience is affected. That happened in Cleveland, to a freeway that is not usually slowed by traffic, if that makes sense.
Correlation does not equal causation.
How many innocent black men are killed by cops every year?
I don’t have the exact number in front of me, but are you suggesting that anyone guilty of a crime deserves to die?
this sounds like fishing for clicks. you see one day of postponed games and then jump on the bandwagon and say all of them will be. i doubt they’d stop now that they are already in Orlando.
Everyone has a right to their opinion. Mine is that if this season is called off because of some random guy getting shot, I will NEVER watch NBA basketball again. And I won’t be one of those guys that says they are not watching and then proceeds to preach to everyone else. I will walk away and never look back.
Do you even live in the US. This isn’t some random guy. You seem to be part of the ignorance. This random guy is just a part of an ongoing issue where men of color are being shot and or killed by police who in cases had no reason to do so. It’s not about ONE random guy
I appreciate your reply, but to be honest, your opinion of my opinion does not change it one bit. He is the very definition of a random guy. I’m not belittling him with that statement, but did any of you know who he was before this video? He is a random person. Just a guy, regardless of color.
The key word in my comment that you all seem to be overlooking is IF the season is cancelled because of this. Not playing basketball is not going to stop hate. It is not going to stop racism. It is not going to stop police brutality. It is not going to stop anything other than our enjoyment.
If you all are okay with it, that’s your right. But don’t infringe on my right to NOT be okay with it.
You walking away from the NBA will not cause the demise of the league. It is even more futile then your criticism of the actions of the players.
“Just a guy, regardless of color”. Wow
“Don’t infringe one my right not to be ok with it”. So basically “shut up and dribble” correct?
How many innocent black men are killed each year?
Watch the tapes. The guy said he had a knife.
don’t let the door hit you on the way out.
How is the above comment even allowed in this space. “Some random guy”? Jacob Blake was a family man and a man of faith. He was shot in the back seven times at close range, and he posed no threat. The way the police dealt with a defenceless Blake and 17-year old Kyle Rittenhouse, a white male who openly carried a semi-automatic weapon and killed two while wounding one, explains why players and tens of thousands if not millions of people believe there is another affliction affecting America.
So not playing a basketball game will fix that?
No, but not playing allows the focus to be on the issues off the court and not on it. It raises the profile of this longstanding problem in the US.
He walked away from cops with guns drawn, the taser was ineffective and he ignored their commands and proceeded to reach into his car. The cops will shoot your for that
Cancel culture
You left out where he said he had a gun in his car.
He didn’t have a gun in his car. Quit spreading lies.
I didn’t say he had a gun. Please learn how to read.
Good to see you don’t care about what the NBA does around this issue. Nutz. Each comment you leave on this site about the NBA makes it more apparent.
You are absolutely right. I don’t care what the NBA does or says about this situation. When I watched the NBA, I watched it to watch a sport not to hear or see political views or statements.I enjoy those three hours away from the “ real world.” I also don’t think it is smart for an “organization” to take a political stand one way or another. When you do that you probably end up alienating half your customers. The customers of the NBA are paying the players salaries to play basketball plain and simple. I don’t know anybody that would begrudge any athlete for their political opinions or support of their causes. Do it on your own time not when you are getting paid by people that might not share you views. I stopped watching ESPN a couple years ago for the same reasons. I know there are people out there that want to control how people think and if you don’t walk in lock step with their views you are a racist. I guarantee you sir I am no racist.
You left out the part where no one with any credibility has said he had a gun in his car.
you don’t agree with a comment so it shouldn’t be allowed? you’re a problem.
I would dispute all the lies in your comment, but when I did a similar thing earlier, I had comments deleted before they closed the entire comment section on the thread.
I’ll just say this though, most family men and men of faith I’ve encountered in my life don’t have active warrants for sexual assault against them and don’t run around with a knife threatening random people.
Random is worst than being called a racist? LOL
You think the word random is worse than the word racist? I don’t see you complaining about the people that used the word racist.
Yeah right since you are the first person on the Internet to say that and stick to it I believe you. Lol Bye!
It is definitely not about “one random guy”
Read the room.
My opinion may not be popular in the room, but I have never been afraid to have a different opinion than “the room.” If you don’t like my opinion, so be it. I’m not asking anyone to agree with me. I am just sharing my opinion.
I always like your posts. Respect. Just saying, it’s bigger than one guy.
I appreciate that sir. Don’t think I am against racial equality or anything like that. I am all for it. In fact, I have actively participated in trying to help people get registered to vote that were suppressed.
I just don’t see how cancelling basketball games is going to stop anything other than the enjoyment of basketball fans. This issue is not likely to be solved in my lifetime, let alone by the end of the playoffs.
I thought I had explained myself in a non-judgmental way, but going back and reading my posts I may have chosen the wrong time to complain even if I do still believe it.
Lets not demonize the phrase random guy. Most people are that basically. It’s almost a goal sometimes, like for website comments.
Blake might wish he was a rando to the cop who I understand had some info on him.
Exactly, thank you. Random is not an insult. I just meant that it was just one person. Could have been anyone.
I know for a fact you won’t stop watching – you can’t even hold yourself accountable in a comments section, let alone be a big boy and follow through elsewhere.
Please learn what a fact is. I don’t care about winning an argument, but just learn what one is for your own sake.
I hope the camp will be more livable when friends & family return and we get a conclusion. 20/21 season has no guarantees, covidwise.
Peaceful protest, kneel, burn down the city, boycott basketball games, it’s not effective. If your goal is change how people look at you then you have to understand it has to come from you. No matter what you do you can’t change how other people think, value, treat, or act against people. Those are all allowed freedoms everyone possesses. The only thing any person has control over is their own actions and reactions. It’s noble to want things the way you believe is right, but how a person thinks, feels, treats, and acts is free will and laws can’t take that away. I believe it was Dr King who said “Love is the only force that can make my enemy my friend”. That is something we can all get behind if you’re trying to create change.
sshhh..you’rr making too much sense. This is a place of instantaneous reaction & unfettered emotion.
I give these guys a lot of credit for putting their beliefs in front of their checks. It’s easy to just see them as basketball players, but they’re people affected by what’s going on in the country like everyone else. Good for them for trying to make it so their sons, daughters, family and friends don’t have to fear being put in a similar situation to what we’ve been continually seeing
If they collectively take like a 80% pay cut to allow the same people, they are ‘protesting’ on behalf of, access to seeing games in-person.
I can agree wholeheartedly.
But they way the NBA handled one team not showing, tells me everyone are still getting their fat checks. Plus Playoff checks come from a pool that the roster chooses how to divvy out.
If we’re talking regular-season game checks, that’s different. But we’re not.
Tomorrow’s Headline: NBA cancels season, racism ends!
I’ve heard the cops are already changing their ways!
Complacent ignorance is a very confusing concept. Who stated that they feel striking would put an end yo racism. You ever heard of taking a stanf against what youfeelis wrong. So I guess you think the boston tea party wonus the revolutionary war aswell??? Lol that how nonsensical your point is.
It’s not a boycott. When employees “boycott” their own jobs, it’s called a strike. Of course, if it’s with management’s support, it’s just taking time off. And if, in addition, it’s without demands made of their employers (the owners), then it’s pointless. They could have at least made a statement by forfeiting the rest of the season. But that would involve sacrifice, not just taking the night off.
To the mods, serious question, why is an opposing opinion not allowed when it’s peacefully presented and just a friendly debate? You’ve deleted all my posts about this subject today, when I’ve not insulted anyone or been rude in any way. I’ve supported this site for almost a decade now, I’m about to permanently stop visiting it because you’re making it clear to me that I’m not welcome and my business isn’t wanted.
Cancel culture
I am right there with you. I asked where are the protests for Chicago 5 yr old that was gunned down. No shooting is good but I feel like they are only protesting ones that are politically driven. I am worried about the path this country is heading down.
Your only comments that have been deleted were from the day’s first post on potential boycotts (everyone else’s comments were also deleted when I closed commenting) and a couple subsequent ones complaining about those ones being removed.