NBA Rumors: Players are Expressing 'Uncertainty' About the Restart

Many people around the country are thrilled to have basketball back in action soon. As the NBA works towards a restart, which is set to begin on July 31st officially, some players are reportedly hesitant to come back and finish the year out this quickly.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, a "faction" of NBA players recently held multiple conference calls to "discuss uncertainty" regarding the restart of the 2019-2020 NBA season, which was canceled back in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

When Adam Silver initially made the call to suspend the season, it was unclear if there was going to be a chance to come back and crown a champion eventually. After months of uncertainty and countless Board of Governors meetings, team owners finally agreed to a proposal to bring 22 teams to Orlando, Florida to wrap up eight regular-season games and finish out the playoffs as usual.

For owners, the decision was pretty much a no-brainer for everybody as the proposal's vote won 29-1. For players, however, there seem to be reservations.

"Executives and coaches around the NBA have had significant concerns about how players will adapt to an environment unlike any they've ever experienced and how those hurdles could impact the sustained competitive drive for teams. Many have worried, too, especially on teams that aren't title contenders, whether some players will start to seek avenues to bypass the resumption altogether."

"Players are citing a number of concerns, including family situations, the inability to leave the Disney World Resort campus, the coronavirus pandemic and the implications surrounding the emergence of social justice causes in the country, sources said."

Considering the circumstances, players on one of the 22 rosters attending the restart aren't going to be forced to join their teams in Orlando. If they believe the situation is unsafe, or not even worth it, then it sounds like the NBA is willing to let players avoid traveling to the bubble to play without punishment.

But if that's the case, then teams will have the opportunity to replace a non-attending player with another that's available on the free agency market, and will also withhold paychecks for the remaining games this season.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_