Wilson Chandler the latest to opt out of NBA restart

Jun 30, 2020 06:00 am

Brooklyn Nets forward Wilson Chandler ruled himself out of the NBA's restarted season yesterday, citing safety fears because of Covid-19.

Chandler told ESPN he had opted to skip the restart in Orlando in order to spend more time with his family.

"As difficult as it will be to not be with my teammates, the health and well-being of my family has to come first," Chandler told ESPN.

"Thank you to the Nets organisation for understanding and supporting me in this decision, and I will be watching and rooting for our team in Orlando."

He joins a handful of other NBA players who have elected to miss the restarted season in Florida, which includes the Portland Trail Blazers' Trevor Ariza, the Washington Wizards' Davis Bertans, the Los Angeles Lakers' Avery Bradley and the Dallas Mavericks' Willie Cauley-Stein. The NBA season resumes on July 30.

Meanwhile, Utah Jazz centre Rudy Gobert, the first NBA player to reportedly test positive for Covid-19 and who drew the ire of numerous people when the league initially suspended the season, told L'Equipe he is still not fully recovered more than three months after his original diagnosis. - AFP, REUTERS