2020 End of Season / Playoffs

[LJ2]

I'm confused.. kyrie is spearheading a campaign to allocate nba ad revenue to communities?

Not specifically just ad revenue which inthepaint was saying helps to convey messages which Kyrie and other players sitting out would hurt. I think Kyrie and the players coalition he is helping to lead would rather see funds go directly to communities in need. He has good intentions.

"The burden of financial donations to black communities disproportionately falls onto players, Bradley said, adding that he hopes more owners will follow the charitable lead of Dallas' Mark Cuban and Charlotte's Michael Jordan in the aftermath of George Floyd's death last month."

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...causes-restart

[inthepaint]

Not specifically just ad revenue which inthepaint was saying helps to convey messages which Kyrie and other players sitting out would hurt. I think Kyrie and the players coalition he is helping to lead would rather see funds go directly to communities in need. He has good intentions.

"The burden of financial donations to black communities disproportionately falls onto players, Bradley said, adding that he hopes more owners will follow the charitable lead of Dallas' Mark Cuban and Charlotte's Michael Jordan in the aftermath of George Floyd's death last month."

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...causes-restart

Well, one way to look at is this: Ad revenue and ticket sales support the NBA. The NBA in turn does 5 things:

1. Give players the financial means to individually contribute to whichever cause they choose (including BLM).
2. Give players notoriety and a public voice, which allows players to organize their own camps and work with at risk youth (of all races)
3. Directly celebrates social and cultural elements of African-American society (e.g. Marthin Luther King day, Black History month etc..)
4. Foster an equal space in which people of different ethnicities and cultures work to win something together
5. Works with colleges to provide a pathway through the draft to make hundreds of African American millionaires every year, while also providing an incentive/dream to thousands of kids to work hard and achieve something.

I don't know if there's another pro-sports league does more for the black community than the NBA does. I get that Kyrie and Bradley may be well intentioned, but cancelling the season and painting the league as a "distraction" or some kind of villain is a loss to the African-American community.

Yes, owners can always do more, but that should be up to them to do privately and through their foundations to decide which causes they will champion. Hi-Jacking the league is not the solution and to me it looks like shooting yourself in the foot.

To effect social change, you need a multi-front effort. From police reform, to protests, to education about racial equality and non-discrimination. The NBA has been a champion of the latter for decades.

Some things will take generational change. Maybe there's a 15yr old somewhere in Canada thinking of becoming a cop. Maybe he saw what Lowry, Kawhi, Siakam, Gasol, Danny, Serge & Fred did for Canada in 2019. Four African-Americans (Two of which mixed background), a Congolese, a Camaroonian, and a white Spaniard. They did it together. Maybe that 15yr old will carry that somewhere within him when he becomes a cop. Who knows. My gut tells me you don't take that off TV and don't take the NBA away

[S.R.]

Apparently Kyrie had nothing to say until he was told he couldn't be in the bubble if he wouldn't be playing, which calls into question his motives since that point.

Players calling out the owners to chip in more on social causes isn't a bad thing. And isn't at odds with starting the season imho.

The NBA as a league does invest in various charitable initiatives all the time - https://cares.nba.com/. It's actually really proactive on that front. It isn't just the players, but for a bunch of those initiatives they're obviously the draw. No 7 year old kid wants to go to Toys R Us with Larry Tannenbaum.

But end of the day I struggle a bit with this - the change being called for, which needs to happen, is largely political. It's about law enforcement, social services, education, urban planning, inequitable economics...this is big stuff being tackled. End of the day, the NBA is a for profit sports league. It's not a social service, not a political party. Speak out, get involved, but it's going to be within that context. And if that isn't far enough for you as an individual, go dedicate yourself to something that is. Honestly, people do that all the time. That PG quit to be a Mormon missionary. 6 figure professionals quit and go raise kids on an acreage. If all this feels like a wake up call, throw yourself into the work.

[Apollo]

Inside the NBA’s plan to use smart technology and big data to keep players safe from coronavirus

• The NBA is using wearables in an effort to keep players and staff safe from coronavirus when the season restarts in July at Disney World in Orlando.
• Players will have the option to use a wearable ring to provide them with a wellness assessment.
• A social distancing alarm will notify players when they are within six feet of others.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/17/nba-...yers-safe.html

[LJ2]

Well, one way to look at is this: Ad revenue and ticket sales support the NBA. The NBA in turn does 5 things:

1. Give players the financial means to individually contribute to whichever cause they choose (including BLM).
2. Give players notoriety and a public voice, which allows players to organize their own camps and work with at risk youth (of all races)
3. Directly celebrates social and cultural elements of African-American society (e.g. Marthin Luther King day, Black History month etc..)
4. Foster an equal space in which people of different ethnicities and cultures work to win something together
5. Works with colleges to provide a pathway through the draft to make hundreds of African American millionaires every year, while also providing an incentive/dream to thousands of kids to work hard and achieve something.

I don't know if there's another pro-sports league does more for the black community than the NBA does. I get that Kyrie and Bradley may be well intentioned, but cancelling the season and painting the league as a "distraction" or some kind of villain is a loss to the African-American community.

Yes, owners can always do more, but that should be up to them to do privately and through their foundations to decide which causes they will champion. Hi-Jacking the league is not the solution and to me it looks like shooting yourself in the foot.

To effect social change, you need a multi-front effort. From police reform, to protests, to education about racial equality and non-discrimination. The NBA has been a champion of the latter for decades.

Some things will take generational change. Maybe there's a 15yr old somewhere in Canada thinking of becoming a cop. Maybe he saw what Lowry, Kawhi, Siakam, Gasol, Danny, Serge & Fred did for Canada in 2019. Four African-Americans (Two of which mixed background), a Congolese, a Camaroonian, and a white Spaniard. They did it together. Maybe that 15yr old will carry that somewhere within him when he becomes a cop. Who knows. My gut tells me you don't take that off TV and don't take the NBA away

Not sure which part of Canada you are from, but in Toronto there is a popular, all black, American radio show called the Breakfast Club which is now playing on 93.5. Their take on racism in the US and what is needed for social change has been a bit of an eye opener for me. It's not about politely suggesting this is what owners or large businesses should do of their own good will...it's almost like they are demanding it and if you don't then you're not for social change. Not saying I agree/disagree with their opinions but you listen to them and then you listen to what Kyrie is saying and they seem very much in tune.

[Apollo]

Not sure which part of Canada you are from, but in Toronto there is a popular, all black, American radio show called the Breakfast Club which is now playing on 93.5. Their take on racism in the US and what is needed for social change has been a bit of an eye opener for me. It's not about politely suggesting this is what owners or large businesses should do of their own good will...it's almost like they are demanding it and if you don't then you're not for social change. Not saying I agree/disagree with their opinions but you listen to them and then you listen to what Kyrie is saying and they seem very much in tune.

Demands have consequences attached to them otherwise they're just requests. What are the consequences if companies opt to service social change instead of investor interests?
​​
Personally I don't see Kyrie holding up the league. There are guys in the league who need the money. They live like they did before getting rich: not saving enough for a rainy day. Sports players usually need bigger savings to match their bigger debts.

[inthepaint]

Not sure which part of Canada you are from, but in Toronto there is a popular, all black, American radio show called the Breakfast Club which is now playing on 93.5. Their take on racism in the US and what is needed for social change has been a bit of an eye opener for me. It's not about politely suggesting this is what owners or large businesses should do of their own good will...it's almost like they are demanding it and if you don't then you're not for social change. Not saying I agree/disagree with their opinions but you listen to them and then you listen to what Kyrie is saying and they seem very much in tune.

I haven't heard of the show you mentioned, but I heard the stuff you're referring to in other places. In a nutshell, it proposes all african americans should go on some kinda of strike. Something on the lines of "Black people should stop participating in the economy!". It comes from the notion that America at large will listen quicker if the economy is damaged. Paradoxically, while the economy is being purposely damaged, they also want to put a gun to the head of the private sector to have them throw money at the movement.

This of course, either come from millionaires that are set for life (but not giving up much of their wealth and contracts for it), or people that will still continue to have a job in the media while promoting this view. It doesn't come from air-traffic controller Jamal Williams, Dental Hygienist Aysha Jones, Electrician DeAndre Maxwell who just got his trade certificate and it's excited about starting his company, or Mamadi Luol, who finally settled his family in America, and just wants a peaceful clean slate to start his new life.

This vision of people that want this "strike", if it came to pass in some theoretical world, would lead to 2 things:
1. Create deeper, more bitter divisions and racial tensions in the US than there already is.
2. Put millions of people out of work, into poverty, into crime, into jails, and into social problems, disenfranchising african americans further

People like Jamal, Aysha, DeAndre and Mamadi know this. They live in the real world, and therefore don't want anything to do with that.

[planetmars]

Another skinny Gasol pic:

[KeonClark]

Another skinny Gasol pic:

Skinny Marc is a problem giannis and the bucks have not considered.

[golden]

Skinny Marc is a problem giannis and the bucks have not considered.

Skinny Lowry either. This could be fun.

[NeedTristanThompson]

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/17/nba-...yers-safe.html

That does sound rly cool.

And I'm excited as the rest of u.

BUT

https://www.sportsnet.ca/basketball/...ida-next-week/

LIKek

Given the tampa, Jays shutdowns...

How's this not gonna happen w the NBA/WNBA TEAMS?????

I don't want it to it just seems like WNBA/NBA might look kind bad if this doesn't go off welllll

Y don't they just do it all in TO there's like 0 cases these days!!!!!

Wel or not that many anyway

YOLOOOO

[Rudy Bargnani]

Florida now has more than double the number of active cases than all of Canada. Raps are scheduled to arrive Sunday and Monday.

[Hotshot]

[Hotshot]

Florida now has more than double the number of active cases than all of Canada. Raps are scheduled to arrive Sunday and Monday.

What a disaster this could turn into . With the virus being so prevalent around it would be a miracle if no one is going to get infected.

[S.R.]

What a disaster this could turn into . With the virus being so prevalent around it would be a miracle if no one is going to get infected.

They should have done Hawaii