The NBA season has been on pause since March 12. As each day passes, talks continue regarding how the season could resume. As this happens, many people believe sports should be played because we need them now more than ever.
However, some people are in favor of the idea that the 2019-20 season should officially be ended. Basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal believes that the NBA should scratch the season. After all, there is going to be a major asterisk next to the title this season due to the circumstances. He is not wrong in saying this because play has been halted for a very long time.
Because of this long break, everyone is going to be healthy and there will not be many injuries.
What if Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving come back for the Brooklyn Nets this season and win it all? Durant wasn’t expected to play this season and Irving was also ruled out for the year. However, with the season being suspended, returning from the hiatus would mean these two players (among others) would have the opportunity to return. Because of this, it would open up a can of worms and other potential question marks en route to an asterisk championship season.
While O’Neal’s claims aren’t strong enough to cancel the entire season, cancellation still remains a strong possibility if the NBA, its players, and its teams cannot reach an agreement regarding the terms and guidelines of a return.
Another roadblock to consider would occur if another player tested positive for COVID-19. In March, the NBA suspended its season just minutes after Rudy Gobert’s test came back positive. If the season resumed and another player tested positive, would the league halt its season again? Would they finally decide to cancel the entire campaign at that point?
There are many hurdles to overcome regarding a potential return and it remains unlikely that all parties that make up the league will be able to come to an agreement. In the end, the most likely and easy outcome would be to cancel the rest of the season.