in NBA

NBA News: More Player Sitting Out Orlando, Pau Visits the Bryant’s, and More!

NBA
Apr 9, 2019; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal (3) runs down the court during the first half against the Boston Celtics at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Players from around the NBA have slowly started to trickle out of the Orlando restart, but not enough to warrant a cancelation just yet. Some players with COVID-19 have already decided it’s best to sit out, while others will sit out of concerns for health. Let’s jump into some of the news from around the league this week!

Top News This Week

  • The Washington Wizards’ Bradley Beal will NOT be joining the team in Orlando for the restart. Beal suffered a shoulder injury which will reportedly keep him out of the restart entirely. The Wizards come into the bubble as the number nine seed in the eastern conference.
  • On the flip side of that, the Lakers got some good news. Center Dwight Howard has informed the team that he WILL be involved in the restart in Orlando and will join the team on Thursday. Howard has also committed to donating his remaining game checks to his non-profit campaign, Breathe Again. Howard had previously expressed concern over resuming play, and many felt he might sit out.
  • The NBA has informed teams that players will not be allowed to travel with their teams to Orlando if they miss a coronavirus test on one fo two days prior to the travel date. Players would then have to register three consecutive negative tests before being allowed to travel to Orlando for the restart.
  • The Clippers’ Landry Shamey has tested positive for the coronavirus. The guard is unlikely to travel to Orlando with the team this week, meaning he will likely have to register three negative tests before being allowed to proceed with the season, if healthy.
  • The Pacers’ Victor Oladipo has decided that he will not take part in the Orlando restart. Oladipo expressed his desire to stay healthy as he rehab’s beach from injury, and was not confident that could be done safely. He will still travel with the team to rehab with the medical staff, but will not play. The Pacers are the number five seed in the east entering the restart.
  • The NBA announced a plan for the second bubble in Chicago for the 8 teams that were not invited to play in Orlando. This new bubble allows for mini-training camps and games against other clubs with a target date of September. It’s unclear if all 8 teams are going to be participating in the second bubble as of now.

Top News

 

Social News

We got a little bit emotional this week after Vanessa Bryant posted these pictures of Pau Gasol hanging out with Kobe Bryant’s kids. The 40-year-old Gasol was a very close friend of the Bryant’s, and I could literally cry as I am writing this.

The Houston Rockets’ Austin Rivers knows exactly what he wants on the back of his jersey in the Orlando restart. Rivers is from Orlando, just a short drive away from where Trayvon Martin was gunned down.

NBA relives some of the greatest assists from around the league in the 2019-2020 season as we work back towards the restart in Orlando.

And finally, we relive this amazing quote that gives us chills thinking about how LeBron James is a Laker now.

All of that news and more, this week in the NBA! Check back weekly with GMS Sports for the most up-to-date information on your favorite sports.

Written by Brook Smith

NFL

NFL News: Redskins Start Name Change Process, Prescott Gets Paid, and More!
MLB

MLB News: Cleveland Starts Looking at Name Change, Intrasquad Games Start, and More!