Larry Nance Jr. Hopes NBA Will Give Players ‘Pass’ If They Don’t Feel Comfortable Returning

Cleveland Cavaliers big man Larry Nance Jr. is hoping that the NBA considers the concerns that players may have about returning to the court amidst the continuing coronavirus pandemic.

Nance has a real reason for concern, considering he has Crohn’s disease. The condition, which requires the use of immunosuppressant drugs, makes Nance more vulnerable to contracting the highly contagious COVID-19.

“I would hope there would be an understanding [from the league] if someone didn’t feel comfortable coming back, that’d you get a pass,” Nance said. “Just because you may look like the picture of health, some people have issues you can’t see.”

The NBA suspended play on March 11 after Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for the coronavirus, which immediately got Nance’s attention.

Nance’s worry was based on the fact that the Cavaliers had recently faced the Jazz and Nance had specifically battled with Gobert throughout the contest.

Despite having learned more about the virus during the league shutdown, Nance is still expressing some uncertainty about playing under the current situation.

“We’re young and you know the kind of shape players are in, you’d like to think [the virus] wouldn’t be what it could be for others. But you don’t know,” Nance said. “I’m still scared and don’t want to get it.”

Nance has been among a group of Cavaliers who has gone through individual workouts at the team’s practice facility. While he wants to get back to playing, he also wants to make sure that the proper safety protocols are followed.

The NBA has yet to officially decide if the season will resume and what form that return would take.

The possibility of the league simply resuming with the postseason exists, which would mean the Cavaliers would end the 2019-20 season with a 19-46 record.