NBPA Says It's Not Formally Polling Players About Possibly Finishing Season

The NBPA refuted an earlier report that its representatives polled NBA players via on Tuesday to gauge their views on possibly finishing the season.

The NBPA said it is not formally polling NBA players about their stance on possibly returning this season.

The union sent a statement to The Athletic's Shams Charania to refute an earlier report about the poll.

"The NBPA is not engaging in and has not authorized any formal poll of its players," the NBPA said.

The statement comes after ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Tuesday afternoon that NBPA regional representatives began texting NBA players in a poll to gauge their views on possibly resuming the season. Wojnarowski reported that the poll included a "yes" or "no" question asking players, "Do you want to try and play again this season?" He specifically cited the group text of NBPA regional rep Tim McCormick, who reportedly wrote, "Michele (Roberts) asked for me to reach out and ask the simple confidential question: "Do you want the season to start again?"

The answers of the league 400-plus players would have reportedly been kept confidential, and some teams received the question in a group text, per ESPN.

NBPA regional rep Tim McCormick's group text to players, he wrote: "Michele (Roberts) asked for me to reach out and ask the simple confidential question: "Do you want the season to start again?"

The NBA has yet to reach a decision on the season's resumption and has floated a number of possible contingency plans. 

On Friday, commissioner Adam Silver took part in a league-wide call with the NBPA and reportedly told players that games are expected to be played without fans if the season resumes. ESPN reported that some players told Silver that if the season does return, "it would be safer to be in a single location, or two, to start." Las Vegas and Orlando remain the top site options and the commissioner reportedly hopes that the 2020 playoffs would still include a seven-game series in every round.

On Monday, the NBA and NBPA reportedly reached an agreement to extend the window that would allow the league to end the collective bargaining agreement as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The CBA's previous 60-day period, which began when the season was suspended on March 11, was set to expire this week. The deadline reportedly will be pushed back to September, which gives the NBA and the union time to look at financial losses and bargain on related issues.