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On this episode of The HoopsHype Podcast, Alex Kennedy is joined by Sam Amick of The Athletic. Sam recently obtained the NBA’s 113-page manual detailing their plan to resume the season and how the bubble in Orlando will work. Sam discusses what to expect at Disney, the group of players who are against playing, whether the season is in jeopardy, his playoff predictions, his MVP pick and more. Time-stamps are below!
1:05: Sam breaks down the NBA’s plan to restart the season, starting with a wearable device for players that will track their vitals and health data.
2:30: After reading the 113-page manual, Sam discusses if the NBA’s plan seems thorough and if they’ve done a good job preparing for every scenario.
4:50: Sam discusses the rules that prevent players from leaving the Disney bubble and how the league will enforce them.
6:45: Alex and Sam talk about why Disney’s Wide World of Sports was selected to host the NBA season.
9:25: The 113-page memo lists a number of entertainment options that will be available to players while they’re in the bubble, which Sam discusses.
13:30: There’s some concern about Disney employees breaking the bubble since they will be coming and going and some won’t be getting tested.
15:30: All league and team personnel will be wearing proximity alarms that go off when you’re within six feet of someone for more than five seconds. Players will be encouraged to wear these too.
18:10: We’ve heard that some NBA players don’t feel comfortable resuming the season. Will there be a lot of players who choose to sit out?
20:35: As Sam reported, LeBron James wasn’t on Friday’s call and he wants to resume play. Sam discusses LeBron’s stance and why it’s significant.
24:10: With so much talk about players sitting out, is the season in jeopardy?
25:10: Some players believe that playing will distract from the Black Lives Matter movement; others believe that playing allows them to support the movement even more because they’ll be on a huge stage and have more money to donate.
30:25: If this season were to get canceled, the 2020-21 season may be in jeopardy too since the owners would rip up the Collective Bargaining Agreement and force a lockout (as Ed Davis told HoopsHype recently).
33:00: This is essentially going to be like pick-up basketball with really high stakes. How will this environment with no fans affect the on-court product?
37:10: Sam gives him 2020 NBA Finals prediction and his pick to win it all.
38:55: Alex talks about how the players who had access to a court during this break will be at a huge advantage when the season restarts.
40:45: Sam discusses his favorite sleeper team entering the postseason.
42:10: Sam shares his vote for the Most Valuable Player award and explains his pick.