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

Factor Four: Unity

The biggest issue that the league is facing, bar none, is with unity. Ever since “The Decision”, the NBA has arguably been at the forefront of a “Player’s Revolution”, where individual players can become more important to the league or the media than the team as a whole. In the NBA, for a little while now, it seems like the players have been driving this league forward, not the owners.

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This movement has, overall, been good. It’s led to more exciting teams to watch, players being paid more, and more interesting offseason discussions. However, right now, Adam Silver sits in a very precarious position, which threatens to undermine that relationship. If the NBA goes forward with their return plans as is, and if multiple players contract Covid-19, there is a chance that certain players could fall out of favor with the league. Players, perhaps even key players, could lose faith in a commissioner who, thus far, has made only small blunders, if any at all.

A fracture like that could hurt the league’s credibility, and impact a player’s position on their team or in the league. This would leave the NBA in a very tough spot in many areas, but most notably in ratings, which have already struggled this season.

I’m a fan of the NBA, just like everyone else reading this article, but if the league wants to resume their season, it would be in their best interest to tear the current structure down, go back to square one, and work on a solution that solves some or all of these issues.