This has been, by far, the most troubled NBA season in history. From the China controversy to David Stern and Kobe Bryant passing all the way to the Covid-19 suspension, it seems like basketball has never been the main subject of discussion.
And now that the teams and the league have finally agreed upon a return date to the hardwood, several players claim that playing in this context of protest and the Black Lives Matter movement would be a distraction rather than help their cause.
Kyrie Irving and Dwight Howard have been pretty vocal about their desire to sit out and not take part in the Orlando bubble. However, Utah Jazz veteran Ed Davis thinks they’re on a privileged position to say that and thus, wouldn’t actually be giving up on anything at this point of their careers:
“It’s easy for a guy like Kyrie [Irving] to say that he’ll give everything back [for social reform], but would he really give everything back? It’s easy for Dwight Howard to say that we don’t need to play when he’s in Atlanta in his $20 million mansion.
But there are other guys on the rosters who need this money to provide for whoever they’re taking care of and things like that. It’s easy for the superstars in the league to say this and how they feel about this and that. But it means a lot more when it comes from the role players and the guys that [aren ’t stars],” Davis told Alex Kennedy of Hoopshype.
The veteran big man went on to add that there are any angles of this situation so it wouldn’t be fair for Kyrie and Dwight to just say that they don’t want to play after all the money they’ve won. Especially considering the younger guys who are about to be eligible for max contract extensions, like Donovan Mitchell:
“There are so many different perspectives because there are so many different levels in the NBA. Like I said, it’s so easy for the superstars to say, “Let’s just not play,” and they’re good. But some guys can’t just do that. There are lives on the line and, like I said, generational wealth on the line. These are the hits that we’re going to take if we don’t play.
(…) This is coming from a 10-year vet; I’m on the back end of my career and I’ve made enough money, so it’s not really about the money. It’s more about the future guys – a guy like Donovan Mitchell, who is looking at a $160 million dollar contract but he might only get $90 million if the cap drops,” Davis concluded.
Honestly, there’s not a way to satisfy everybody in this situation. The league has already stated that they won’t enforce penalties on those players who rather sit out and not attend the Orlando bubble, but they won’t get any money for the games they missed.
Obviously, hoop fans from all over the world are craving for the season to resume. At the same time, we understand the need for social reform on a divided country. But perhaps Davis has a point and maybe two of the most privileged players in the league shouldn’t speak for the rest of the league.
