Kevin Durant's peculiar Friday contract tracing incident highlighted the bigger issue that looms over the NBA season - it's happening at the height of a raging pandemic.
By: Phil Akre
Kevin Durant never should have played on Friday night against the Raptors. The league's second-leading scorer was rendered a reserve for the first time in his 867 career games. He was pulled from the starting lineup for what was initially billed "health and safety protocols." Soon it became clear he had undergone contract tracing after interacting with an individual who had been tested for COVID-19 earlier that day. Durant was held out while he and the Nets awaited the individual's results. He entered the game in the first quarter, but by the third, the close contact returned a positive test.
KD immediately left the game in frustration, later tweeting"Free me."
While it was a good time for Twitter memes and fans rallying to his cause, it's clear this is a crucial moment for the Association. The league will certainly have to answer questions and review its decision-making processes. Durant, his teammates, and coaches were all rightfully frustrated during and after the game. Players were potentially exposed and uncertain of what exactly was going on. Brooklyn HC Steve Nash said postgame "I probably got a little bit distracted by the big picture and the long term of what this is going to mean. That's the way this year's going to be."
Indeed, that is exactly how 2021 will be. The league knows it can no longer rely on the near-flawless execution of 2020's Disney World bubble, which ended with zero recorded cases of COVID-19. The difficult reality is that even as the NBA attempts to clean up this mess, it's going to have to get a lot right on the fly. We should hold the league accountable for its player's safety amid this horrific pandemic, but we cannot overlook the nature of the historic situation it's trying to navigate. This isn't giving the league a free pass, but rather a reality check. The "right" way to play amid a pandemic doesn't exist.
The United States has lost more than 100,000 souls in 2021 alone, and it's only February 6. Daily deaths hover anywhere between 3,000-4,000, while the nation is rapidly approaching a half million deaths (460,849 as of Feb. 6). There are more than 26 million cases in the country, by far the highest total in the world. These disastrous numbers should serve as a reminder, as Jane McManus said in July, "Sports are the result of a functioning society. Not the precursor. Not a distraction from."
Things are bleak right now, but there have been some signs of progress. Cases have declined 30 perfect over the last two weeks, while hospitalizations are also falling (NYT). Approximately 1.3 million people are receiving a vaccine every day, and there are promising developments in supplies and state distribution.
These are surely encouraging developments, though the rise of unique virus variants threatens to harm much of the progress the nation has made. Tomorrow, many will gather for the Super Bowl despite state and national guidelines advising against doing so. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is lifting the state's mask mandate and social distancing regulations starting this Sunday. Repeating past mistakes seems to be a hallmark of the pandemic.
Many didn't think it was possible, but the NFL proved how a league can successfully navigate the challenges posed by an evolving virus without a bubble setting. It implemented a widespread rapid-testing system and didn't have to cancel a single game this season, while both Super Bowl rosters remain largely unaffected by COVID-19-related roster moves.
The NBA, too, can succeed in navigating the difficult waters ahead. But like the country, it will have to adapt. It will also have to face the growing chorus of its stars calling for no All-Star game, a group that includes LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Kemba Walker. The league's greatest ambassadors are keenly aware of the challenges posed by COVID-19, especially after the bubble's lasting isolating effects. There's no point in a pandemic All-Star game when the game is purely for entertainment and dunks. The league needs to make its money and make up for massive financial losses, but it also needs to keep its players content amid tensions.
Durant, who contracted the coronavirus in March 2020, will have to miss the next couple of games. The Nets will have to make up for the loss of their most important player. The league must quickly right the ship. We can assume it will do so, but this is no bubble. This is the reality of operating a league during historic health and economic crises, and the path forward remains subject to change.