Patrick Beverley suggests NBA return hinges on LeBron James
The NBA is in a giant rift right now. A week ago, most players were ready for a return to play. After an emotional phone call with Kyrie Irving on Friday, that return may not be so imminent.
Today, Patrick Beverley made a tongue-in-cheek statement suggesting that LeBron James is the answer to it all.
While LeBron James may have a giant influence within the NBA, there has never been a clear definition of how much influence that is. After all, there are nine members on the NBPA, and LeBron James isn't one of them. Despite that, no one can deny the massive decision making power he has.
While Patrick Beverley may be trolling LeBron a bit, he isn't wrong. There's a good chance that if LeBron James came out against the NBA playing during social unrest, then the NBA wouldn't play.
The entire situation of returning to play is a very tough decision. Players have been training for this the past three months, every single day. Some players aren't in the same financial position as Kyrie Irving to abandon their pay. There is a high probability that basketball returning will cause a distraction in some greater societal issues. There's also a chance that basketball players can use their platform to raise light on those issues. It's honestly developed into a lose-lose situation at this point, where no one will be happy.
Whatever happens with the state of the NBA, we can promise that it will be a dramatic decision. A casual return is out of the window now, and all eyes are on what will happen next.
