THE NBA MOVES TO ORLANDO TO FINISH THE SEASON

Following the Coronavirus pandemic, most sports leagues around the world made the wise decision to temporarily suspend their competitions. The world’s focus was rightly on the primary goal of fighting the virus, relegating sports to a secondary concern. However, with the situation improving in some countries, many leagues, including the NBA, have been able to resume their seasons.

In early June, all team owners virtually met with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to decide the fate of this atypical season. Almost unanimously, with the only exception being the Portland Trail Blazers, it was decided that the season would resume in Orlando, where all teams would be fully isolated and regularly monitored to avoid any infections. The sports complex hosting the games would be at DisneyWorld, where a “bubble” would be created, completely isolating players and teams from the outside world. The paradox of this restart is precisely this separation: in the United States, the number of COVID-19 cases has been slow to decrease, with over three million people infected since March, a number higher than the total cases in all of Europe. Although the situation across the ocean still seems out of control, NBA players will live in a completely self-contained environment, isolated from the tragic situation in the U.S.

Not all teams will be present in Orlando. Only the top eight teams from each conference (those in playoff positions) and all teams within six wins of the eighth spot will have eight games to fight for a spot in the playoffs. The playoff rules will be the same as in previous years, with the exception of the scenario where the eighth and ninth place teams are within four wins of each other. In that case, a play-in game will take place, where the eighth seed needs only one win to qualify, while the ninth seed needs two. Teams can also replace players who test positive or those who decide not to participate in the playoffs. It has been explicitly stated that players who choose not to play will not be penalized. JR Smith and Jamal Crawford are two notable players returning to fill gaps created by absences, and they will likely try to make a significant contribution to their teams to secure a contract for the next season.

Restarting in such a unique NBA season and social context was certainly not an easy decision. Beyond the virus, in recent weeks the climate in the United States has been tense due to widespread protests against racism. Some players, including Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving, argue that finishing the season of such a widely-followed media event could take attention away from the crucial fight against racism. Irving has thus urged Commissioner Silver to reconsider the “Orlando plan” to avoid interfering with the “Black Lives Matter” movement protests, adding another obstacle to the league’s restart.

Despite being difficult and certainly controversial, the NBA’s return to Orlando is likely to happen, with the primary reasons for the league’s decision to continue being financial. If the season were to end today, without further games, over $900 million in TV rights would be lost by teams signing contracts with national broadcasters. The delicate financial balance behind the league could therefore be disrupted if the tournament is stopped, with consequences that could even put the future of some teams in doubt.

The responsibility on NBA Commissioner Adam Silver’s shoulders is therefore immense. On one hand, it is desirable to resume play to secure the future of the NBA; on the other, it is crucial to ensure maximum safety for both players and staff. Silver has emphasized multiple times that the key to restarting lies in prudence, meaning that if numerous players test positive within the “bubble,” the league may once again halt the season. Despite these hopeful predictions, the reality is quite different, with many players already testing positive for the virus. The latest news that raised eyebrows was the positive test of Russell Westbrook, the 2017 MVP and current player for the Houston Rockets, who will not be present in Orlando, at least for the first few weeks. The Brooklyn Nets have been the team most affected by the virus: Kevin Durant, Spencer Dinwiddie, DeAndre Jordan, and Michael Beasley have all tested positive, forcing the team to field an entirely new lineup for the Orlando tournament. Early season predictions have therefore been disrupted, with teams like the Brooklyn Nets and Houston Rockets likely to face greater difficulty against opponents due to key absences.

We will still have to wait a few more days to know for sure whether the season restart will be confirmed. As of now, the official date for players to return to the court is set for July 30. In recent years, the NBA’s viewership has hovered around 50 million, so the games in Orlando will undoubtedly provide entertainment for millions of fans. Besides the financial factor, it is the passion for the sport that makes it essential to finish the season: organizers, players, and staff will do their utmost to provide entertainment to fans, while keeping in mind the crucial importance of safety and virus containment.