Why LeBron James Is Personally Worried The NBA Will Cancel The Season
LeBron James and his family’s activities while quarantining have been well-documented. Whether it’s shooting hoops with his teenage sons, enjoying tea with his daughter, or posting a viral TikTok dance, the James clan has been spending some quality time together.
The rest of the NBA season, though, is looming over him and the rest of the league’s mind as they wonder whether they’ll get to finish the 2019/2020 exhibition. LeBron doesn’t seem to be too worried and says he believes players will get back on the court in time to finish what they started. That said, an unfinished season could weigh on him for some time.
"I don't think I'll be able to have any closure if we do not have an opportunity to finish this season," James said from his home Wednesday (April 8) on a conference call with Lakers beat reporters.
Unless they experience a mighty collapse, the Lakers are on their way toward their first playoff birth since 2013 with many believing they could win a title. They have the best record in the Western Conference and only trail the Milwaukee Bucks’ league best 53-12 output.
Currently in his 17th NBA season, LeBron’s concerned that the time to capitalize might be slipping away.
"I can have some satisfaction on what our team has been able to do this year (with) a first-year coach, first-year system, a whole new coaching staff, bringing on so many new pieces to our team this year," he said. "I honestly didn't think that we would be able to come together as fast as we did, just having so many new pieces (and) bringing in Anthony. He spent seven years in New Orleans, so he was coming into a new system, playing along with myself, and how we would be able to come together? I thought it would take us a lot longer than it did, but I was wrong. I was very wrong about that."
The NBA season was postponed four weeks ago due to the coronavirus outbreak and two unidentified Lakers players have tested positive for the disease. The team says though that those players have recovered after completing their 14-day isolation.
LeBron initially was reluctant about playing in empty NBA arenas at isolated locations, however, he’s now open to complete the season in a form of a sports quarantine and supports anything that’s both safe and smart.
"If it's in one single, isolated destination, if it's Las Vegas or somewhere else that can hold us and keep us in the best possible chance to be safe, not only on the floor but also off the floor as well, then those conversations will be had," he also said during the conference call. "Once this thing gets a good handle on it and the people in the higher ranks understand it, if they know we are safe, then we can make the next step. But the safety is always the most important, and then we go from there."
