SALT LAKE CITY — After games in leagues across the country were not played Wednesday in response to the officer-involved shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin on Sunday, league sources confirmed Adrian Wojnarowski’s ESPN report that NBA players have decided to resume the season, although Thursday’s three playoff games — a schedule that included Game 6 of the Utah Jazz-Denver Nuggets series — will be postponed.
Today's three playoff games will be postponed, source tells ESPN. Discussion underway on when teams will resume play. https://t.co/A2PazNKDhy
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 27, 2020
On Thursday afternoon about 90 minutes before the Jazz and Nuggets were to tip off, the league officially announced that the day’s games would not be played, adding “we are hopeful to resume games either Friday or Saturday.”
The league indicated that a video conference would take place Thursday involving representatives from the 13 teams still in the Orlando bubble, the players association, league office and NBA Labor Relations Committee Chairman Michael Jordan “to discuss next steps.”
On Wednesday night, NBA players and coaches held a large meeting inside its bubble at the Walt Disney World resort in Florida to discuss whether or not the league should continue playing this season, with the Los Angeles Lakers — most notably LeBron James — and LA Clippers reportedly voicing support for ending the season now.
Player meetings, along with board of governors meetings continued through Thursday with a meeting planned for later in the day on Thursday between the players and owners to discuss what the teams and the league can do to impact change in a more immediate sense.
Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell has been a very active participant in discussions according to a source with knowledge of the meetings that are ongoing inside the NBA bubble. Mitchell’s close relationship with some of the league’s more vocal and influential players, including Oklahoma City Thunder guard and president of the National Basketball Players Association Chris Paul, has impacted his role as a vocal leader on the Jazz.
This story will be updated.
