The NBA will resume its 2019/20 season in July, with the league’s top 22 teams participating in the restart at Walt Disney World in Florida. However, not all players on the lists of those 22 clubs will participate in the resumption of the season.
Players may voluntarily choose not to restart for any reason without facing a fine or suspension from the NBA or their respective teams. A player who chooses to lose would lose a portion of his pay for 2019/20, losing 1 / 92.6 of his salary for each game lost (up to a maximum of 14 games). Otherwise, you would not receive any additional penalty.
If a player excludes himself before July 1, his team may sign a “substitute player” to replace him. The replacement player will receive a minimum wage contract for the remainder of the season and will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, regardless of how many years of service he has in the NBA. Meanwhile, the replaced player is no longer eligible to participate in the remainder of the ’19 / 20 season.
We will use this space to control the players who choose not to participate and the substitute players who replace them. Here are the players who have voluntarily withdrawn from participating:
Trevor Ariza, F, Trail Blazers (story)
Ariza would have missed a month-long visiting period with her son if she had chosen to play this summer, as family members cannot join players on the NBA’s Disney campus until the end of August.
So far, it is unclear whether Portland will hire a substitute player to replace Ariza. The Blazers also have an open spot on their 15-man roster, so the club could theoretically sign a couple of players for insurance purposes.
Meanwhile, Ariza has a $ 12.8MM salary for 2020/21, but is only partially guaranteed at $ 1.8MM, so he can’t stay on Portland’s list beyond this season.
Avery Bradley, G, Lakers (story)
Bradley is the most intriguing player to have been excluded so far as he is the only member of a legitimate championship competitor. Although Bradley has been among the players expressing concern over the resumption of the season that diverts attention from the fight for social justice, family considerations, including the well-being of his three children, were said to be the main factor in his decision.
Bradley has a $ 5MM player option for 2020/21, so he could return to the Lakers next season. As for its possible replacement, LA is on track to sign JR Smith to an agreement for the rest of the season.
Davis Bertans, F, magicians (story)
Bertans, the first player to choose not to restart, did so because he has a history of ACL injuries and doesn’t want to jeopardize his health before a possible payday this summer. He plans to be one of 2020’s top unrestricted free agents, after a career year, and his decision will not affect the Wizards’ desire to re-sign him; it is still considered a priority for the franchise.
If Washington were higher in the standings, Bertans could have made a different decision, but the team faces high odds of making the playoffs. And even if the Wizards challenge those odds and claim seed # 8, the Bucks would probably do a quick job in the first round.
Guard Point Jerian grant He is expected to replace Bertans on the Wizards’ roster as a substitute player.
Willie Cauley-Stein, C, Mavericks (story)
Cauley-Stein and her partner are expecting a newborn child in July, prompting him to skip the restart to spend time with his family. With a player option of $ 2.29MM for 2020/21, he could still return to Dallas next season.
Despite missing Cauley-Stein and hurting the big man Dwight Powell On their frontcourt, the Mavs did not make adding another center a priority. With Courtney Lee and Jalen Brunson Also on the shelf due to injury, Dallas focused on adding depth in the defense zone, reaching an agreement with the veteran guard. Trey burke to become the substitute player for Cauley-Stein.
Wilson Chandler, F, Networks (history)
Chandler, an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, decided to use the summer to spend more time with his family, including his grandmother (who raised him) and their three children.
Like the Mavs, Brooklyn has been hit hard with injuries, with Kevin Durant, Kyrie irvingand Nicolas Claxton also marginalized by the return to play. However, only Chandler is eligible to be replaced by a substitute player. That player will be Justin Anderson, to whom the Nets hope to provide some depth on the wing.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
