LeBron James Says NBA Shouldn't Cancel Season, Lakers Are Ready To Play When It's Safe

The NBA’s top star is refuting a report that there’s a growing sentiment in the league to cancel the remainder of the 2019-2020 season. LeBron James said it’s untrue that team executives and players’ agents are calling for no more games to be played.

According to CNBC, owners are worried about liability issues that would come with resuming the season during the coronavirus pandemic. The report states that executives are frustrated with the lack of information coming from the NBA, which indefinitely suspended play on March 11.

“What [owners] are saying is, ‘If we return, where is the revenue that is going to justify the additional cost of returning?’” one team executive told CNBC. “They are looking at the cost side versus the revenue side. What revenue comes in now?”

Saw some reports about execs and agents wanting to cancel season??? That’s absolutely not true. Nobody I know saying anything like that. As soon as it’s safe we would like to finish our season. I’m ready and our team is ready. Nobody should be canceling anything. _
— LeBron James (@KingJames) April 30, 2020

The season came to a halt when Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19. At least 15 members of NBA organizations have since been diagnosed with the disease caused by the coronavirus.

The league has been considering various ways to resume play and crown a champion this summer. If the season does come back, James and the Los Angeles Lakers will be among the favorites to win the 2020 NBA Finals.

Los Angeles’ season was put on pause with 19 games remaining until the playoffs. The Lakers have the best record in the Western Conference with a 5.5-game edge on the No.2 seed Los Angeles Clippers.

James was having an MVP-caliber season, putting him in a two-player race for the award with Milwaukee Bucks’ star Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Mark Cuban: "I'm cautiously optimistic we'll be able to finish the (NBA) season for television, I don't expect that we'll have fans." pic.twitter.com/FoZU0Mn4EA
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) April 30, 2020

NBA team facilities could reopen on May 8. The Lakers have been in contact with the Los Angeles mayor’s office to discuss the possibility of opening their facility before the city’s shelter-at-home order expires on May 15, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

Golden State Warriors’ head coach Steve Kerr told reporters Tuesday that the team is “sort of assuming” that their season is over. The Warriors have the NBA’s worst record and are already eliminated from playoff contention.