OKC's Chris Paul: Players will need 'weeks of preparation' if NBA resumes
MANILA, Philippines — NBA Players Association (NBPA) president and Oklahoma City Thunder star Chris Paul said that players will need a substantial amount of preparation should the league resume play.
According to Paul, the NBA, which has been stalled since March 11 due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, will need to include a runway of at least three or four weeks for players to prepare.
"I'm just letting you know — and I don't think the league would do it anyway — but if they were like, 'Hey, you got two weeks, and then we're going,' that's not going to happen," Paul said told ESPN writer Royce Young in a conference call.
Serving his seventh year as NBPA president, Paul insisted that it will ultimately be the players who have the final say on how the league will get back on its feet.
"Whatever the amount of time is, just know that players will have the input, the say-so, because we're the ones playing. That comes first. We don't ever want to put guys in a situation where their injury risk is higher than ever before," he said.
Per Young, many NBA players have not been able to access training facilities or even basketball goals since the season stoppage.
Paul even said that he hasn't shot in a basketball gym since the layup lines prior to his team's postponed game against the Jazz on March 11.
But the 34-year-old said he would probably open that the league go straight to the playoffs once the season resumes.
"We just want to play," Paul said.
"We're trying to figure out what that looks like. Right now, I'm just focused on playing, playing in some form or fashion," he added.
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