Report: NBPA Committee, Players Met to Discuss Logistics of Potential Playoffs Boycott

An assembly was held between the NBA Players Association executive committee and a group of players on Tuesday night to discuss actions that can be taken in the wake of Jacob Blake's shooting, including logistics of a potential playoffs boycott, according to Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes. 

A "sizable faction" of players reportedly have been emotionally traumatized by video of the shooting of Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, which was captured as police shot him seven times in the back during a "domestic incident," with his children reportedly in a nearby vehicle. Blake underwent surgery and is paralyzed from the waist down, his attorney says. 

NBPA president Chris Paul and first vice president Andre Iguodala were in attendance at Tuesday's assembly at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort to show their support, per Haynes. Players have reportedly continued to have "active discussions" with the union executive committee over the past days on a potential boycott, saying they are not in the correct state of mind to play. Players are able to request to speak with a counselor while in the bubble, but it is reportedly unclear how often this happens.

As SI's Chris Mannix has reported, Blake's shooting has led many NBA players to believe their actions from the bubble have failed to affect meaningful change amid the social justice movement, which is their main goal. The Raptors' Fred VanVleet echoed that sentiment on Tuesday, stating, “It's just starting to feel like everything we're doing is just going through the motions. Nothing's changing.” 

Players from the Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics, who are set to play the first game of their Eastern Conference semifinal series Thursday, held a meeting Tuesday night to discuss potentially boycotting Game 1, among other potential measures, ESPN's Marc Spears reports. With everything reportedly "on the table," the players are expected to meet again Wednesday night. 

There is an ongoing dialogue on increased measures the NBA can take inside the bubble to raise awareness of racial injustice and enact change, Haynes reports, with the "Black Lives Matter" t-shirts worn by players and kneeling during the national anthem not seen as strong enough messages. 

Many players and coaches have spoken out on Blake's shooting this week, with Clippers coach Doc Rivers giving an emotional plea on Tuesday night: "It's amazing why we keep loving this country, and this country does not love us back."