NBA to cut salaries if season is voided
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The Golden State Warriors' point guard Stephen Curry is one of the highest-paid players in the NBA. His salary for the 2019-2020 season is US$58.9 million (S$83.2 million), according to Forbes.
PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
LOS ANGELES • National Basketball Association (NBA) players will receive their full pay cheques next Thursday, but salaries could be reduced as the league remains shut down amid the coronavirus pandemic.
ESPN and the Philadelphia Inquirer were among the media outlets citing league sources in reporting that players would be paid as usual for now.
The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association (BPA) have been negotiating a salary-reduction percentage for upcoming pay periods, and on Tuesday, the BPA reiterated to agents that owners could withhold 25 per cent of players' remaining salaries if the season is cancelled.
Commissioner Adam Silver said on Monday that he did not expect the NBA to be able to decide on when and how a return to play might happen until next month.
The regular season was due to end next Thursday, with the playoffs scheduled to start next weekend and, while the season remains in doubt, basketball great Magic Johnson is hopeful the game can resume, even if it is toned down.
That means empty arenas, but the former Los Angeles Lakers president believes the players will get used to playing behind closed doors as that looks to be the only available option.
"Let's say the NBA comes back without fans. Once you play one game without fans, you will adjust to not having fans there," Johnson told CNN on Thursday night.
"We've all played our whole life on the playgrounds and pick-up games without fans being there. So basketball players will adjust, trust me."
But he acknowledged the situation was too dangerous to even contemplate restarting the league - even without the presence of fans - and everyone had to wait until the pandemic curve flattens.
The United States is the epicentre of the Covid-19 contagion with over 468,000 infected, more than any other country, and over 16,600 fatalities as of yesterday.
"There will be a right time," Johnson said. "Commissioner has done a wonderful job with the NBA.
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25%
The percentage that owners could withhold of players' remaining salaries if the season is cancelled, as reiterated by the BPA to agents.
"He wants to make sure the players are safe before they come back. It is just a matter of when this virus is level and not affecting the whole country any more.
"When those numbers drop and stabilise, sports will come back. We need sports, especially in a time like this... (but) probably without the fans first."
On LeBron James' public stance that he cannot ever imagine playing games without a crowd, Johnson said the Lakers forward had a point, but spectators would have to first get screened for Covid-19.
He added: "Listen, if they have a chance to go back and they are all healthy and they all get tested, they will go back to crown a champion.
"They want to see who is the best team in the NBA. I am looking forward to seeing if the Lakers can win a championship (for the first time since 2010)."
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
