2020 NBA Draft Early Entrants List
With the sports world on pause as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many pre-draft scouting events have already been nixed or are in danger of being canceled, and there are serious doubts about whether NBA teams will have the ability to work out prospects leading up to this year’s draft.
Many early entrants declare for the draft based on the belief that they’ll be able to improve their stock in those events and workouts, and may be less inclined to leave college if those opportunities aren’t available.
Additionally, with the NBA planning to resume its 2019/20 season, the 2020 draft – originally scheduled for June 25 – has been pushed back to October 16. Early entrants will need to make decisions well before then if they want to return to their college programs or international teams.
The NCAA’s withdrawal deadline, which initially fell on June 3, has been postponed until either August 3 or 10 days after the combine, whichever comes first. The NBA’s withdrawal deadline falls 10 days before the draft, so international early entrants will have until October 6 to decide whether or not to remain in the draft.
In an unprecedented twist, the NBA also retroactively adjusted its early entry deadline from April 26 to August 17, giving players a second window to declare for the 2020 draft. Bizarrely, that deadline now falls after the NCAA’s withdrawal deadline, so we’re unlikely to see any college players enter the draft waters between August 3 and August 17.
As we navigate uncharted draft waters, we’ll be using the space below to keep track of 2020’s early entrant prospects. Players who initially entered the draft and then withdrew from consideration will be noted as well.
This post, which will be updated daily, will be accessible anytime under “Hoops Rumors Features” on the right sidebar of our desktop site, or in the “Features” page found in our mobile menu. The players below are listed in alphabetical order. If you have any corrections or omissions, please contact us.
Last updated 11-11-20 (2:45pm CT)
College Players:
Expected to stay in draft:
- Precious Achiuwa, F, Memphis (freshman) (link)
- Milan Acquaah, G, California Baptist (junior) (link)
- Ty-Shon Alexander, G, Creighton (junior) (link)
- Cole Anthony, G, North Carolina (freshman) (link)
- Brendan Bailey, F, Marquette (sophomore) (link)
- Saddiq Bey, F, Villanova (sophomore) (link)
- Tyler Bey, F, Colorado (junior) (link)
- Jermaine Bishop, G, Norfolk State (junior) (link)
- Dachon Burke, G, Nebraska (junior) (link)
- Vernon Carey Jr., C, Duke (freshman) (link)
- Nate Darling, G, Delaware (junior) (link)
- Lamine Diane, F, Cal State Northridge (sophomore) (link)
- Devon Dotson, G, Kansas (sophomore) (link)
- Anthony Edwards, G, Georgia (freshman) (link)
- CJ Elleby, F, Washington State (sophomore) (link)
- Malik Fitts, F, Saint Mary’s (junior) (link)
- Malachi Flynn, G, San Diego State (junior) (link)
- Josh Green, G/F, Arizona (freshman) (link)
- Ashton Hagans, G, Kentucky (sophomore) (link)
- Tyrese Haliburton, G, Iowa State (sophomore) (link)
- Josh Hall, F, Moravian Prep (N/A) (link)
- Rayshaun Hammonds, F, Georgia (junior) (link)
- Jalen Harris, G, Nevada (junior) (link)
- Niven Hart, G, Fresno State (freshman) (link)
- Nate Hinton, G/F, Houston (sophomore) (link)
- Elijah Hughes, G/F, Syracuse (junior) (link)
- Isaiah Joe, G, Arkansas (sophomore) (link)
- Dakari Johnson, G, Cape Fear CC (freshman) (link)
- C.J. Jones, G, Middle Tennessee (junior) (link)
- Mason Jones, G, Arkansas (junior) (link)
- Tre Jones, G, Duke (sophomore) (link)
- Saben Lee, G, Vanderbilt (junior) (link)
- Michael Lenoir, G, Creating Young Minds Academy (N/A) (link)
- Kira Lewis, G, Alabama (sophomore) (link)
- Nico Mannion, G, Arizona (freshman) (link)
- Naji Marshall, F, Xavier (junior) (link)
- Kenyon Martin Jr., F, IMG Academy (N/A) (link)
- Tyrese Maxey, G, Kentucky (freshman) (link)
- Jaden McDaniels, F, Washington (freshman) (link)
- Isiaha Mike, F, SMU (junior) (link)
- EJ Montgomery, F, Kentucky (sophomore) (link)
- Aaron Nesmith, G, Vanderbilt (sophomore) (link)
- Zeke Nnaji, F, Arizona (freshman) (link)
- Jordan Nwora, F, Louisville (junior) (link)
- Nikolaos Okekuoyen, C, Ridgeview Prep (N/A) (link)
- Onyeka Okongwu, F/C, USC (freshman) (link)
- Isaac Okoro, F, Auburn (freshman) (link)
- Daniel Oturu, C, Minnesota (sophomore) (link)
- Reggie Perry, F, Mississippi State (sophomore) (link)
- Nate Pierre-Louis, G, Temple (junior) (link)
- Immanuel Quickley, G, Kentucky (sophomore) (link)
- Jahmi’us Ramsey, G, Texas Tech (freshman) (link)
- Paul Reed, F, DePaul (junior) (link)
- Nick Richards, F/C, Kentucky (junior) (link)
- Jay Scrubb, G, John A. Logan College (sophomore) (link)
- Jalen Smith, F, Maryland (sophomore) (link)
- Cassius Stanley, G, Duke (freshman) (link)
- Isaiah Stewart, F/C, Washington (freshman) (link)
- Tyrell Terry, G, Stanford (freshman) (link)
- Xavier Tillman, F/C, Michigan State (junior) (link)
- Obi Toppin, F, Dayton (sophomore) (link)
- Jordan Tucker, F, Butler (sophomore) (link)
- Devin Vassell, G, Florida State (sophomore) (link)
- Nick Weatherspoon, G, Mississippi State (junior) (link)
- Kaleb Wesson, F/C, Ohio State (junior) (link)
- Kahlil Whitney, F, Kentucky (freshman) (link)
- Emmitt Williams, F, LSU (sophomore) (link)
- Patrick Williams, F, Florida State (freshman) (link)
- James Wiseman, C, Memphis (freshman) (link)
- Robert Woodard II, F, Mississippi State (sophomore) (link)
- Omer Yurtseven, C, Georgetown (junior) (link)
Withdrawing from draft after testing the waters:
- Jordyn Adams, G, Austin Peay (freshman) (link)
- Abdul Ado, C, Mississippi State (junior) (link)
- Timmy Allen, F, Utah (sophomore) (link)
- Derrick Alston Jr., F, Boise State (junior) (link)
- Joel Ayayi, G, Gonzaga (sophomore) (link)
- Jomaru Brown, G, Eastern Kentucky (sophomore) (link)
- Marcus Burk, G, IUPUI (junior) (link)
- Jordan Burns, G, Colgate (junior) (link)
- Jared Butler, G, Baylor (sophomore) (link)
- Manny Camper, G/F, Siena (junior) (link)
- Marcus Carr, G, Minnesota (sophomore) (link)
- Tamenang Choh, F, Brown (junior) (link)
- Kofi Cockburn, C, Illinois (freshman) (link)
- David Collins, G, South Florida (junior) (link)
- Zach Cooks, G, NJIT (junior) (link)
- Jalen Crutcher, G, Dayton (junior) (link)
- Ryan Daly, G, Saint Joseph’s (junior) (link)
- Darius Days, F, LSU (sophomore) (link)
- Dexter Dennis, G, Wichita State (sophomore) (link)
- Ayo Dosunmu, G, Illinois (sophomore) (link)
- Nojel Eastern, G, Purdue (junior) (link)
- Mason Faulkner, G, Western Carolina (junior) (link)
- LJ Figueroa, G, St. John’s (sophomore) (link)
- Blake Francis, G, Richmond (junior) (link)
- Hasahn French, F, Saint Louis (junior) (link)
- D.J. Funderburk, F, North Carolina State (junior) (link)
- Both Gach, G/F, Utah (sophomore) (link)
- Alonzo Gaffney, F, Ohio State (freshman) (link)
- Luka Garza, C, Iowa (junior) (link)
- Jacob Gilyard, G, Richmond (junior) (link)
- Grant Golden, F, Richmond (junior) (link)
- Jordan Goodwin, G, Saint Louis (junior) (link)
- Tony Goodwin II, G/F, Redemption Academy (N/A) (link)
- Jayvon Graves, G, Buffalo (junior) (link)
- AJ Green, G, Northern Iowa (sophomore) (link)
- Darin Green, G, UCF (freshman) (link)
- Aaron Henry, F, Michigan State (sophomore) (link)
- Jalen Hill, F/C, UCLA (sophomore) (link)
- Jay Huff, F, Virginia (junior) (link)
- Feron Hunt, F, SMU (sophomore) (link)
- Chance Hunter, G, Long Beach State (sophomore) (link)
- DeJon Jarreau, G, Houston (junior) (link)
- Damien Jefferson, G/F, Creighton (junior) (link)
- Jalen Johnson, F, Louisiana (junior) (link)
- Andre Jones, G, Nicholls State (junior) (link)
- Herbert Jones, F, Alabama (junior) (link)
- Corey Kispert, F, Gonzaga (junior) (link)
- Kameron Langley, G, North Carolina A&T (junior) (link)
- A.J. Lawson, G, South Carolina (sophomore) (link)
- Matt Lewis, G, James Madison (junior) (link)
- Isaiah Livers, F, Michigan (junior) (link)
- Denzel Mahoney, G, Creighton (junior) (link)
- Makur Maker, C, Hillcrest Academy (N/A) (link)
- Sandro Mamukelashvili, F, Seton Hall (junior) (link)
- Tre Mann, G, Florida (freshman) (link)
- Remy Martin, G, Arizona State (junior) (link)
- Mac McClung, G, Georgetown (sophomore) (link)
- Isaiah Miller, G, UNC Greensboro (junior) (link)
- Matt Mitchell, F, San Diego State (junior) (link)
- Andrew Nembhard, G, Florida (sophomore) (link)
- Obadiah Noel, G, UMass-Lowell (junior) (link)
- Elijah Olaniyi, G/F, Stony Brook (junior) (link)
- Filip Petrusev, F/C, Gonzaga (sophomore) (link)
- Note: Petrusev withdrew from the draft, but will still go pro.
- John Petty, G, Alabama (junior) (link)
- Xavier Pinson, G, Missouri (sophomore) (link)
- Yves Pons, F, Tennessee (junior) (link)
- Darius Quisenberry, G, Youngstown State (sophomore) (link)
- Colbey Ross, G, Pepperdine (junior) (link)
- Fatts Russell, G, Rhode Island (junior) (link)
- Joe Saterfield, G/F, Ranger CC (freshman) (link)
- Aamir Simms, F, Clemson (junior) (link)
- Javonte Smart, G, LSU (sophomore) (link)
- Chris Smith, F, UCLA (junior) (link)
- Collin Smith, F/C, UCF (junior) (link)
- Justin Smith, F, Indiana (junior) (link)
- Mitchell Smith, F, Missouri (junior) (link)
- Stef Smith, G, Vermont (junior) (link)
- Ben Stanley, F, Hampton (sophomore) (link)
- Parker Stewart, G, UT Martin (sophomore) (link)
- Terry Taylor, G, Austin Peay (junior) (link)
- MaCio Teague, G, Baylor (junior) (link)
- Justin Thomas, G, Morehead State (junior) (link)
- Ethan Thompson, G, Oregon State (junior) (link)
- Jeremiah Tilmon, F, Missouri (junior) (link)
- Alonzo Verge Jr., G, Arizona State (junior) (link)
- Chris Vogt, C, Cincinnati (junior) (link)
- CJ Walker, G, Ohio State (junior) (link)
- Trendon Watford, F, LSU (freshman) (link)
- Ibi Watson, G, Dayton (junior) (link)
- Jarrod West, G, Marshall (junior) (link)
- Romello White, F, Arizona State (junior) (link)
- Deandre Williams, F, Evansville (sophomore) (link)
- Keith Williams, G, Cincinnati (junior) (link)
- McKinley Wright, G, Colorado (junior) (link)
International Players:
Note: The country indicates where the player had been playing, not necessarily where he was born.
- Deni Avdija, F, Israel (born 2001) (link)
- Adrian Bogucki, C, Poland (born 2000) (link)
- Leandro Bolmaro, F, Spain (born 2000) (link)
- Imru Duke, F, Spain (born 1999) (link)
- Paul Eboua, F, Italy (born 2000) (link)
- Killian Hayes, G, Germany (born 2001) (link)
- Vit Krejci, G, Spain (born 2000) (link)
- Yam Madar, G, Israel (born 2000) (link)
- Theo Maledon, G, France (born 2001) (link)
- Karim Mane, G, Canada (born 2000) (link)
- Aleksej Pokusevski, F, Greece (born 2001) (link)
- Marko Simonovic, C, Serbia (born 1999) (link)
- Mouhamed Thiam, C, France (born 2001) (link)
Withdrawing from draft after testing the waters:
- Berke Atar, C, Macedonia (born 1999) (link)
- Brancou Badio, F, Spain (born 1999) (link)
- Darko Bajo, F, Croatia (born 1999) (link)
- Philippe Bayehe, F, Italy (born 1999) (link)
- Marek Blazevic, C, Lithuania (born 2001) (link)
- Vinicius Da Silva, C, Spain (born 2001) (link)
- Henri Drell, G/F, Italy (born 2000) (link)
- Michele Ebeling, F, Italy (born 1999) (link)
- Osas Ehigiator, C, Spain (born 1999) (link)
- Joel Ekamba, G, France (born 2001) (link)
- Selim Fofana, G, Switzerland (born 1999) (link)
- Miguel Gonzalez, G/F, Spain (born 1999) (link)
- Sehmus Hazer, G, Turkey (born 1999) (link)
- Rokas Jokubaitis, G, Lithuania (born 2000) (link)
- Georgios Kalaitzakis, G, Lithuania (born 1999) (link)
- Arturs Kurucs, G, Latvia (born 2000) (link)
- Dut Mabor, C, Italy (born 2001) (link)
- Sergi Martinez, F, Spain (born 1999) (link)
- Nikola Miskovic, F, Serbia (born 1999) (link)
- Aristide Mouaha, G, Italy (born 2000) (link)
- Caio Pacheco, G, Argentina (born 1999) (link)
- Joel Parra, F, Spain (born 2000) (link)
- Sander Raieste, F, Estonia (born 1999) (link)
- Nikos Rogkavopoulos, F, Greece (born 2001) (link)
- Yigitcan Saybir, F, Turkey (born 1999) (link)
- Njegos Sikiras, F, Spain (born 1999) (link)
- Aboubacar Traore, G, Canada (born 2001) (link)
- Uros Trifunovic, G, Serbia (born 2000) (link)
- Arnas Velicka, G, Lithuania (born 1999) (link)
- Andrii Voinalovych, F, Ukraine (born 1999) (link)
Note: A number of other players, including LaMelo Ball and RJ Hampton, became automatically draft-eligible for 2020 as a result of playing professionally last season. However, the NBA didn’t publicly release the list of auto-eligible players, so we’re not including those names here, since there would be gaps in our list.
Draft Notes: Bruner, Graves, Gaffney
If not for the coronavirus pandemic, the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament would have taken place over the last few days, with draft hopefuls getting a chance to show their skills – and potentially improve their stock – on a national stage.
Instead, college basketball – like virtually every other sport in North America – has been shut down indefinitely, leaving possible early entrants for the 2020 draft to make their decisions under unusual circumstances.
Here are a few updates on college players who may end up being part of the 2020 NBA draft class:
- A report earlier this month indicated that Jordan Bruner is expected to declare for the draft and go pro. However, as Evan Daniels of 247Sports details, the former Yale forward has also entered the NCAA transfer portal and is drawing plenty of interest. Bruner explained to Daniels that he wants to keep his options open, given the uncertainty created by the coronavirus crisis. “I’d like to keep my options open and hear what NBA scouts and other people think I’m capable of and what they think about me,” he said. “I don’t want to get stuck in a place where I can’t play in college if I want to.”
- Buffalo junior guard Jayvon Graves announced on Twitter that he intends to test the draft waters. Graves bumped his scoring average from 9.7 PPG as a sophomore to 17.1 PPG as a junior, chipping in 5.4 RPG, 2.5 APG, and 1.2 SPG in 32 games (34.4 MPG) for Buffalo.
- Ohio State forward Alonzo Gaffney won’t be returning to the Buckeyes for his sophomore season, sources tell Brian Snow of 247Sports. According to Snow, Gaffney – who played very limited minutes as a freshman – will likely pursue professional opportunities rather than transferring to another college program.
Canada, Australia Won’t Participate In Olympics Without Postponement
MARCH 23: The Australian National Committee has told its athletes to prepare for the Olympics to be postponed by a year, indicating in its announcement that an Australian Team can’t be assembled for 2020. Unlike Canada, Australia is one of eight teams that has already qualified for the basketball tournament at the Tokyo Olympics.
MARCH 22: The Canadian Olympic Committee will not send its athletes, including the basketball team, to the Tokyo Olympics unless the event is postponed, the CBC News tweets. The Summer Olympics are scheduled to begin on July 24.
In a statement, the committee urges the International Olympic Committee and World Health Organization to postpone the Games for one year. The committee also pledges its full support to help the IOC navigate the complexities created by such a postponement.
Team Canada’s basketball team is coached by Raptors coach Nick Nurse and includes numerous NBA players. Canada isn’t yet guaranteed a spot in the Tokyo Olympics, but was scheduled to host and compete in a qualifying tournament this June.
The IOC has stated that “cancellation is not on the agenda,” but the organization suggests delaying the 2020 Games is on the table. However, its president Thomas Bach says that it’s too early to make a final decision about the date of the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Earlier this week, USA Track and Field called for the Summer Olympics to be postponed.
Evan Fournier Defends Gobert, Criticizes Coronavirus Coverage
The coronavirus pandemic continues to evolve and so does how the media is covering it with respect to the NBA.
Jazz All-Star Rudy Gobert was the first player who tested positive for COVID-19 and the French center was criticized for his careless nature leading up to his diagnosis. Gobert mockingly touched all the microphones and recorders in front of him following a media session and reportedly showed a “cavalier” attitude in the locker room, touching other people and their belongings in a way that mocked the seriousness of the coronavirus.
Evan Fournier, who is Gobert’s teammate on the French national team, believes the big man has been treated unfairly since that positive test and isn’t thrilled with how NBA media has covered the pandemic.
“It hurts me, he became the face of the virus in the NBA,” Fournier told L’Equipe (h/t Sportando). “The behavior of people and journalists has been disgusting.
“I don’t understand (revealing) the names of the sick: it looks like the transfer window when it’s the scoop race. It was a coronavirus free agency, unbearable. You can say a guy is sick without naming him… Philadelphia and the Lakers have cases and we don’t know who they are.”
The Sixers and Lakers are among the teams that didn’t announce or leak the names of those who contracted the virus. Two players from Los Angeles are affected, while three members of the Sixers organization (not necessarily players) have been diagnosed.
The Celtics and Nets also announced positive tests without naming any players. However, Marcus Smart immediately came forward via his social media, telling fans that he was the affected Celtics player and provided an update on his situation. The public’s knowledge of Kevin Durant‘s diagnosis took a similar path.
The media’s coverage of the events, particularly those within the NBA, is much less significant than the actual health and well-being of the millions whom the virus has impacted. Still, it’s fair to wonder whether Fournier has a point in his criticism.
Professional athletes, at least within the United States, are still protected by privacy acts such as HIPAA, but their diagnoses are routinely shared with the public (by entities that don’t employ them). Should the coronavirus be any different?
NBA organizations have no such decision to make when it comes to passing along medical information, as they are required to keep records confidential. It’s one reason why the Sixers had to move on from Bryan Colangelo when he shared medical information via a burner Twitter account. It’s why you haven’t seen an NBA team disclose information on any specific players with the virus.
NBA players and teams have come under criticism for the amount of testing they are receiving compared to the general population. While it was reported that teams are buying the tests privately, that fact hasn’t lessened the backlash.
Part of being an NBA player is being in the public eye. Players have a spotlight on them that many others do not — just like they have the resources to access coronavirus tests that many within the United States cannot afford.
Individual reporters and writers must make judgment calls on what information to report and what to tuck away. This is true when it comes to the coronavirus and all matters.
Do you think Fournier has a point? Or has the coverage of the coronavirus in the NBA been appropriate?
Coronavirus Notes: Schedule, Testing, Jazz, Satoransky
If the NBA season is completed late in the summer, it could have long-term implications on the league schedule, Mike Singer of the Denver Post opines. If the playoffs are conducted in July and August, there is no chance that NBA training camps would open in late September, Singer notes. Hawks CEO Steve Koonin’s suggestion prior to the suspension of play that the league calendar should shift to a December-August format could become a reality, at least for one season.
We have more coronavirus-related news:
- The ease in which NBA teams had access to tests compared to the general public was a bad look for the league, Dan Wolken of USA Today writes. Franchises should use their vast resources and influence to get others tested, rather than asymptomatic NBA players, Wolken argues.
- Jazz owner Gail Miller and her family will “more than match” the $200K donation that Gobert has pledged to Vivint Arena and Jazz part-time employees, per Andy Larsen of the Salt Lake Tribune. Gobert and numerous other NBA players have made similar donations to arena workers.
- Bulls guard Tomas Satoransky is pessimistic about the resumption of the NBA season and wants to return to Europe, Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago relays. In a recent interview with NOVA Sports, he said, “It is not pleasant to stay here and watch the team owners try to finish the league in order not to lose so much money. It is not very pleasant, perhaps because we would like to travel to the Czech Republic with my wife and daughter. We perceive the situation logically as Europeans. We perceive that all the right measures are already in place in the Czech Republic, and we think that in the USA, it will only get worse and worse.
And-Ones: Oakley, Perkins, EuroLeague, Expansion Draft
Knicks owner James Dolan and former player Charles Oakley have been ordered to mediate their dispute by a federal appeals court, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. A conference call has been scheduled for March 31, requiring that Dolan and Oakley to attend with their attorneys. The order, which was uncovered by sports legal analyst Daniel Wallach, is the latest development in Oakley’s civil lawsuit. Oakley sued Dolan for defamation, assault and false imprisonment after he was arrested and banned from Madison Square Garden in 2017.
We have more from around the basketball world:
- Former NBA center and ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins has been ordered by his physician to lose weight or risk becoming diabetic, he tweets. Perkins said he’s gained 75 pounds since retiring two seasons ago. Perkins appeared in one game with Cleveland in 2017/18 season, his lone NBA outing since a 37-game stint with New Orleans in the 2015/16 season.
- Former Wizards forward Chris Singleton said the EuroLeague should use a March Madness-style format to complete its season, Sportando’s Nicola Lupo relays. Singleton suggested splitting the 18 teams into two groups with a host city for each group. The No. 8 and 9 seeds in each group would play an extra game. A third city would then host the EuroLeague Final Four. Singleton plays for Anadolu Efes in Turkey.
- How would an expansion draft look? NBC Sports conducted a mock expansion draft for mythical Seattle SuperSonics and Flint Tropics franchises. See which players Kurt Helin and Dan Feldman selected for their teams here.
David Griffin Talks NBA Shutdown, Zion Williamson, More
The NBA continues to be in wait-and-see mode with the coronavirus pandemic forcing the league to halt operations. Pelicans VP of basketball operations David Griffin joined the club’s local broadcast team to talk about the suspended season as well as share some insight about the on-court product in New Orleans, as the team relays on its website.
Griffin said he hopes that the league resumes soon but wouldn’t speculate on a definite timeline, as it’s impossible to accurately predict when the virus will be contained.
“With everything changing so quickly, everything is in a state of flux that I think it would be premature for the NBA to say what it ultimately looks like,” Griffin said. “I do know unequivocally that the league is very mindful of the idea of getting back to playing.
“The idea of canceling a season is not all on their minds, and we’re modeling every possible thing we can for how we can deliver a product to the fans. Quite frankly, we’re all going to need a diversion in the future. (But) until we can get to a point where we think we’ve got containment of (the coronavirus), we’re going to continue to stay locked down. Hopefully we’ll get to a point where we can come back sooner rather than later.”
During the 30-minute segment, Griffin also discussed the Pelicans’ roster, including the fit of Zion Williamson and Lonzo Ball.
“A big part of it is the chemistry you see with Lonzo and Zion. They have a special connection,” Griffin said, while adding that Nicolo Melli has also proven to be a good on-court mate to Williamson.
“I think Nicolo Melli getting more minutes, and him starting to become a key part of the rotation has been essential as well,” the executive added. “Those three guys work incredibly well as a unit. Zion gives us another player who can create vertical thrust in the offense, and Lonzo can pick defenses apart with his passing.”
IOC Hints At Delaying 2020 Olympics
With the coronavirus global pandemic ongoing, there has been speculation that the 2020 Olympics could be canceled or delayed. The International Olympic Committee (via a press release) has stated that “cancellation is not on the agenda,” but the organization suggests delaying the games is on the table.
President Thomas Bach says that it’s too early to make a final decision about the date of the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
“So, like you, we are in a dilemma: Cancellation of the Olympic Games would destroy the Olympic dream of 11,000 athletes from all 206 National Olympic Committees, from the IOC Refugee Olympic Team, most likely for the Paralympic athletes, and for all the people who are supporting you as coaches, doctors, officials, training partners, friends and family,” Bach said in the statement.
“Cancellation would not solve any problem and would help nobody. Therefore it is not on our agenda.”
Bach added that the organizations hopes to have a finalized decision “within the next four weeks.”
Many NBA, NHL COVID-19 Cases Have Staples Center Links
Half of the coronavirus cases in the NBA and NHL have connections to the Staples Center, where both the Clippers and Lakers play, Nathan Fenno of the Los Angeles Times writes.
It’s impossible to identify the source of the virus spreading, but the Staples Center, which hosts roughly 250 events per year, has been linked to eight of the 16 known cases within the two leagues.
Fenno notes that the Staples Center hosted 39 events since the first case of COVID-19 hit the county. Those events include the Grammy Awards and the memorial service for Kobe Bryant.
Two unnamed Lakers players have tested positive for the virus earlier this week. Four Nets players, including Kevin Durant, tested positive. Brooklyn played in Los Angeles prior to the NBA suspending the 2019-20 season because of the pandemic.
Raptors Notes: Gasol, Ibaka, VanVleet, Powell
Lost revenue from the NBA’s hiatus has the Raptors in a position of financial uncertainty as they look ahead to the offseason, writes Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. Toronto has just nine players signed beyond this season, and only four of them are part of the rotation. Marc Gasol, Serge Ibaka and Fred VanVleet are all headed for free agency, and the Raptors aren’t sure how much cap room they’ll have available.
The league may lose hundreds of millions in projected earnings if it can’t salvage a significant portion of its remaining season. That’s on top of lost money resulting from the dispute with China. Smith points out that Pascal Siakam‘s new extension, which begins next season, is based on a percentage of the salary cap. While that might give the Raptors more money to work with than they were expecting, it adds to the muddled financial picture.
There’s more from Toronto:
- The Raptors should prioritize re-signing Gasol over Ibaka if they decide not to keep both, argues Blake Murphy of The Athletic. Even though Ibaka is five years younger and a better scorer, Murphy sees Gasol as a superior passer, defender and floor spacer. He also suggests that Gasol may be more willing to accept a large one-year contract, which allows the team to remain competitive in a talented 2021 free agent class.
- Murphy had expected VanVleet to get an offer beyond what Toronto is willing to pay, but he cautions that a lower salary cap might change the equation. He projected that the Raptors would offer the fourth-year guard a new deal in the range of $17MM to $20MM annually. Only five or six teams will have the money to top that, and several of them already have young point guards in place. Murphy states that VanVleet’s best strategy may be to accept a long-term deal in Toronto that takes advantage of his Bird rights.
- Norman Powell‘s improvement this season may tempt the Raptors to hold onto his contract rather than trade it for cap relief, Murphy adds. Powell is owed nearly $10.9MM next season and has an $11.6MM player option for 2021/22.