NBA Restart: Dwight Howard in, Bradley Beal and Spencer Dinwiddie out
With travel dates approaching for many teams around the league, several players are beginning to announce their decisions regarding their status for the NBA restart.
Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard's decision came Monday night, when he told The Athletic's Shams Charania that he would be playing. Additionally, Charania reported that Howard would be donating his remaining salary to his 'Breathe Again' campaign, an anti-racism non-profit.
On Tuesday morning, news rolled in on Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal and Brooklyn Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie, both of whom will miss the remainder of the season.
Beal had been on the fence about returning for social justice reasons, but ultimately, a shoulder surgery will keep him sidelined. The Wizards announced that Beal had been playing with a right rotator cuff injury all season, and the team has decided to play things safe.
Dinwiddie, on the other hand, will be held out after he tested positive for the coronavirus multiple times. DeAndre Jordan, teammate and former LA Clippers center, announced last week that he would not be participating either following a positive coronavirus test.
Of the players listed, Howard's decision to play has the most significant impact on the Clippers. He's been efficient during his second stint with the Lakers, averaging 7.5 points and 7.4 rebounds in just 19.2 minutes per game. Both LA teams will face-off on July 30 to begin the restart.
However, the Clippers will play against both the Wizards and the Nets while in Orlando as well. LA will scrimmage with Washington on July 25 and will meet Brooklyn during the seeding games on August 9.
Surely, there will be a lot of moving pieces leading up to the first games in Florida — which are now just over two weeks away.
