If the NBA is able to successfully resume its 2019-20 season after a hiatus of multiple months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s going to take an unconventional approach and lots of work.
It seems Houston Rockets star and former league MVP Russell Westbrook wants to be part of the potential solution.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the nine-time All-Star is part of a working group formed by the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) to discuss return-to-play strategies.
With a call scheduled for Tuesday, the group includes Westbrook, Boston’s Jayson Tatum, Toronto’s Kyle Lowry, Dallas’ Dwight Powell, and Oklahoma City’s Chris Paul — who serves as NBPA president.
Sources: The NBA and NBPA are forming a working group and have a call Tuesday to discuss return-to-play strategies; will include NBPA president Chris Paul and players Russell Westbrook, Jayson Tatum, Kyle Lowry, Dwight Powell.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 12, 2020
The NBA has indicated that its potential return this summer would likely be at a neutral site such as Orlando and/or Las Vegas and without fans.
Training camps to prepare for a rebooted season could start in early to mid June, and the presence of players on the working committee should help the league as it develops plans to have teams gradually ramp up to basketball activities after the long and unprecedented mid-season hiatus.
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