Philadelphia 76ers: NBA Disney return is no longer certain

The return of the Philadelphia 76ers and NBA basketball is no longer certain.

The NBA currently plans to resume in late July. As has been reported ad nauseam, the league will inhabit a restricted bubble on the Walt Disney World campus in Orlando — the goal, obviously, to limit exposure to the coronavirus.

When the report of the NBA’s plan dropped, many thought the plan was etched in stone. The NBA was going to do it. The league would return, and little could be done to stop it. Both caution and excitement stemmed from the announcement, but in general, fans felt good about the return of something as broadly loved as basketball.

Since then, however, questions have been raised over the practicality and necessity of the NBA’s plan. It’s no longer the certainty it once seemed to be — some players, Kyrie Irving chief among them, may have grievances with the current plan.

Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski:

"“On a call that included nearly 100 players and several stars on Friday night, Irving made an impassioned plea for players to make a stand and sit out the season’s resumption in Orlando…”"

According to Woj, Irving’s grievances came as a surprise to many, as he had not voiced them in prior calls. However, the reasons for Irving’s hesitancy are legitimate and deserve not only recognition, but genuine consideration among fans and NBA executives.

First and foremost, we are in the middle of a pivotal moment in U.S. history. Protests over the murder of George Floyd and racial inequality in America are still happening. Irving brought up the “fishy” nature of the NBA’s current plan, and multiple players have similar concerns over receding to a bubble and boosting NBA profits as the fight for change rages on.

On the other hand, the financial ramifications of a lost season are massive. The NBA players would lose $1.2 billion in salary this season, and would lose even more money in future seasons. The salary cap would undoubtedly plummet. In Woj’s report, it’s clear agents are educating players on the financial impact. At the end of the day, both for the league and the players, money is a driving force in any decision.

That said, Irving’s point of view is a critical one. The NBA feels unimportant right now, and it’s worth bringing up the frivolity of basketball when there are more serious issues at hands. If he and other players feel they can better impact change away from the basketball court, it seems well within reason to nix the Orlando return.

In addition to social change and the concerns stemming from it, there are also valid criticisms of the NBA’s current return-to-play mechanics. At this point, the Disney does not plan to limit travel  on and off campus for its support staff, which would mean the NBA’s “bubble” isn’t truly a bubble.

As coronavirus cases continue to spike in Florida and around the country, it’s worth asking the question: is a return to play truly safe? Even if testing is widespread, it’s not impossible for an asymptomatic employee to bring the virus into the NBA’s enclosed environment. The virus’ capacity for transmission is well known at this point.

The Philadelphia 76ers are presumably involved in these discussions in some capacity. Over 100 players were on the aforementioned call with Irving. The Sixers — and the NBA — will simply need to wait out the NBPA’s final decision on returning to play.

With that said, Irving’s statements were also centered on unity. He made sure to point out that, if the players do agree to resume basketball activities, he would stand with them. By no means is the season definitively over. The odds seem to favor basketball in Orlando.

And lastly, from Woj:

"“The NBA has its superstars on board for a resumption, but it needs a broader base of its players to be fully committed to Orlando.”"

All we can do is wait and see. The Sixers have benefited as much as any team from a three-month hiatus, and some expect Philadelphia to truly compete if the season does resume. Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid have both focused on physical improvement. We’ll see if it matters in the immediate future.