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A16 sports
Tuesday 13 OcTOber 2020
The NBA offseason begins, with 1 major question: Now what?

By TIM REYNOLDS developments: The con-
AP Basketball Writer flict between the NBA and
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) China that started last Oc-
— The season's first big de- tober after a tweet from
velopment came with the Houston general manager
Los Angeles Lakers on a Daryl Morey in support of
long road trip, in a place anti-government protest-
with very restrictive rules. ers in Hong Kong and how
The season's last big de- the Lakers and Brooklyn
velopment came with the Nets (who were in China
Lakers on a longer road at the time) got caught in
trip, in a place with very re- that hailstorm; the death
strictive rules. From China of commissioner emeri-
to Disney, this was an NBA tus David Stern on Jan. 1;
season like none other — the death of Kobe Bryant
and quite probably like on Jan. 26; and then the
none ever again. The NBA shutdown of the season
offseason has officially on March 11 after Utah's
started, the bubble at Walt Rudy Gobert became the
Disney World is closed and first of many in the league
the Lakers have their 17th to test positive for corona-
championship. Nobody virus. Play stopped for 4-1/2
knows everything that will Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James (23) celebrates with his teammates after the Lakers defeated months, a bubble was built,
happen over the coming the Miami Heat 106-93 in Game 6 of basketball's NBA Finals Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, in Lake Buena 171 more games were
weeks as far as how rosters Vista, Fla. played but no more tickets
and coaching staffs will be Associated Press were sold.
reshaped. As a bonus this got to continue to push that season such as the salary was not a surprise to be the "It has been an emotional
year, nobody knows when ... continue to push for ev- cap and luxury tax lines, as scoring champion for the roller coaster for certainly
anything will happen, ei- erything that's the opposite well as when teams can re- third year in a row. our players and for me, for
ther. But while a difficult of love. If we can continue sume play — and where. That's not to say there were the entire community, for
season is over, the difficul- to do that, America will be "These issues are a bit com- no surprises: Miami be- that matter," NBPA execu-
ties the league and players a much better place." plicated and difficult in came the first No. 5 seed to tive director Michele Rob-
face are not. The coronavi- The priority, for the last many cases," NBA Com- reach the NBA Finals, Gold- erts said. "Between Stern's
rus pandemic is still raging. seven months, was get- missioner Adam Silver said. en State lost practically ev- death, Kobe's death, the
The players fight against ting through the pandemic "But there's no reason to eryone to injury and plum- virus — which is just the
racial inequality and their safely and salvaging the believe that with our coun- meted to the bottom of the most vicious entity I've ever
quest for social justice, season. That happened; a terparts at the (National league in what basically come across — and then
which were top priorities of champion was crowned, Basketball) Players Associa- was a reset year, the San what's happening in the
this NBA restart, continue. a bubble was built and tion that we won't be able Antonio Spurs weren't in the streets ... the tendency to
And while nobody knows nobody tested positive for to work through them."Not playoffs for the first time in want to just stay under the
when the next NBA game three months inside that everything was unexpect- 23 years and Doc Rivers — covers, I don't have to fight
is, the Lakers' LeBron James NBA campus in large part ed this season: The Lakers long considered one of the it every day. But there are
began looking forward dur- because of extremely tight were not a surprise cham- league's best coaches — days when I say 'Oh God,
ing the trophy ceremony regulations surrounding pion, Milwaukee's Giannis got fired by the Los Angeles I was having such a great
celebrating his fourth title. conduct and safety. Now Antetokounmpo was not Clippers, then quickly hired dream, why did I have to
"We all want to see better comes a quick pivot to- a surprise to win his second by the Philadelphia 76ers. wake up?'" What happens
days," James said. "And ward figuring out all things consecutive MVP award, But this year will be remem- next is largely up to Roberts
when we leave here, we've related to money for next Houston's James Harden bered for the shocking and Silver.q
Black MLS players team up with LeBron-led voting initiative

ron James-led nonprofit video Monday, “We’re in Arena, the county’s lone
More Than A Vote to en- Stoppage Time,” which ballot drop-off location,
courage voting in the Nov. includes the voices of To- and campaigned for the
3 election. “The most im- ronto FC’s Justin Morrow, Florida Rights Restoration
portant thing we can do a BPC founder, and Chris Coalition’s efforts to pay
as athletes in this moment Wondolowski, the league’s off court fines and fees for
to combat the systemic all-time leading scorer, former felons who have
racism and persistent in- who is of Native Ameri- completed their sentenc-
justice that plagues our can descent. James was es.
nation is to encourage all among the athletes and Black Players for Change
of our fans to join us by artists who started More recently dedicated it’s first
Portland Timbers forward Jeremy Ebobisse, center, celebrates getting off of the sidelines Than a Vote in June. The mini-pitch in New Jersey.
after scoring a goal against the LA Galaxy during the first half and into the ballot box,” group, which also seeks to In a partnership with the
of an MLS soccer match in Carson, Calif., Wednesday, Oct. 7, Portland Timbers forward fight voter suppression, has U.S. Soccer Foundation,
2020.
Associated Press Jeremy Ebobisse said. already signed up more BPC plans to install 12 mini-
Black Players for Change, than 10,000 poll workers. pitches in Black communi-
By ANNE M. PETERSON a group of Major League which includes more than It has also pledged to help ties across the country to
AP Sports Writer Soccer players, has 170 MLS players and staff voters in Houston’s Harris encourage kids in to play
Black Players for Change, teamed up with the LeB- members, released a County with rides to NRG soccer.q