The NBA's return-to-play proposal was approved by the National Basketball Players Association executive committee and its board of representatives on June 4.
A sizable number of NBA players were "disappointed," in the league's limited vote to resume the 2019-20 season, according to Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes.
The National Basketball Players Association executive committee and its board of representatives approved the NBA's plan to resume the season on June 4. But the vote only included a select group of players, leaving some unable to voice their concerns about a return to play.
Players across the NBA noted their "unease," about returning to play during the COVID-19 crisis, per Haynes. Some players have also expressed the view that returning to the floor following the tragic death of George Floyd is "bad optics."
“What message are we sending by agreeing to this during this time?” an anonymous player told Haynes. “We’re out here marching and protesting, and yet we all leave our families in these scary times and gather to perform at a place where the owners won’t be at? What type of sense does that make? We’ll be going backwards. That place isn’t that magical.”
Players will be able to opt out of playing in Orlando as the 2019-20 season resumes on July 30, though they will not receive payment if they abstain from competition.
The NBPA could look to hold votes with each of its nearly 450 members in the future, though it "doesn’t seem achievable at this point," per Haynes.