Are we sure resuming the NBA is the best way to go?

Factor One: COVID Concerns

Right, so I’ll knock the big one out right away. As of writing this, Malcolm Brogdon, Jabari Parker, Nikola Jokic and Buddy Hield have all tested positive for COVID-19. Of those, Brogdon and Parker have both said that they plan to join their teams in the Orlando bubble.

This poses a number of issues, the least of which being optics. Is it really the best decision for the NBA’s image to have numerous players who have just recently had (assuming they recover from the virus in time) COVID-19 among the ranks? Not only that, but for players with anxiety, how will that affect their mental health?

Another big problem surrounding the current global pandemic is that Florida, especially south Florida, is seeing cases skyrocket. Luckily for the NBA, Walt Disney World is located in central Florida, however, we’ve seen how quickly this virus can spread, and how quickly it can encompass an entire region.

Testing is an option, and Adam Silver has said he won’t return to play without proper testing, but even daily testing may not be optimal. A John Hopkins study recently found that, after eight days of being exposed to the virus, there is still a 20 percent chance for a false negative, i.e. for a test to come back negative when the subject actually has COVID-19. After just four days of exposure, that percentage is 67 percent.