If the Lakers win this year, it’s comforting to know the same whiners who cried about putting an asterisk next to last season’s championship will try to invalidate this year’s because “LeBron shouldn’t have played in the first round.” I already know I wouldn’t enjoy a championship this year, and this is just one more thing for people to be insufferable about.
I don’t have enough information about how the league governs the health and safety protocols to form an educated opinion on this even if everyone wants to shout favoritism. Superstar players sometimes get preferential treatment from refs. From the league during a global pandemic where people’s lives are at stake? Forgive my skepticism.
That said, if letter of the law states James must miss time due to health and safety protocol, then that should absolutely happen, playoffs be damned. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case and James may skirt by due to the circumstances of the event. Per
the article that broke this news by ESPN’s Dave McMenamin:
The tequila was poured at a brief outdoor photo shoot, and invitees, including recording artist Drake and actor Michael B. Jordan, had to produce proof of vaccination or a recent negative test result in order to attend.
If it weren’t for the fact that it’s verified and corroborated that James couldn’t even attend the event if he didn’t produce proof of vaccination or a recent negative test result, perhaps he would have had to miss time. I guess it also helps that the event was outside.
It should be noted that
Kevin Porter Jr. violated the league’s health and safety protocols in April and was fined $50,000. He went to a strip club and is decidedly not a superstar player. The only punishment is the fine as players aren’t suspended for violating health and safety protocols. Any games missed are due to quarantine. Expect a LeFine from the league. James can wipe the tears from that $50,000 fine with $100,000.
I’ve gotten the impression from various comment threads I was stupid enough to scroll through that the people who are mad about this are primarily mad because it’s LeBron James and the Lakers, and if it was the best player on the team they root for, the vast majority of them would shut up about it. That sounds about right.
Also, James may already be vaccinated even if he won’t publicly admit it. When Dennis Schröder had to go into quarantine on May 3, he stated he and James were the only Lakers players not vaccinated. About a week ago, Schröder said he was the only Lakers player not vaccinated. Either James is vaccinated or he told Schröder to shut the **** up. In a recent memo to teams, the league agreed to loosen restrictions to protocols “two weeks past their final dose and any team where 85% of players and 85% of staff are fully vaccinated.” We’ll see when/if the Lakers are eligible.
Ultimately, without more information, the main thing I find disconcerting is James being so coy about whether he’s vaccinated. It seems like Schröder unwittingly outed him already. While he is not required by law or the league to publicly confirm his status, doing so would go a long way toward normalizing the vaccine for those on the fence who respect James enough to follow his lead. I can also see not wanting that pressure as it is not really his responsibility unless you want to get philosophical about it.
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