Fansided

What’s new in the world of quarantined NBA players today?

By Ian Levy

TORONTO, ON - MARCH 18: The Raptor, mascot of the Toronto Raptors, relaxes in a chair during a break in the second half of an NBA game against the New York Knicks at Scotiabank Arena on March 18, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - MARCH 18: The Raptor, mascot of the Toronto Raptors, relaxes in a chair during a break in the second half of an NBA game against the New York Knicks at Scotiabank Arena on March 18, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /
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Like the rest of us, most NBA players are spending their time in isolation, doing anything they can to stave off boredom. Here’s the latest news from the front.

Zach LaVine is hooping with his dog

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9-TBc9gyfG/

Congrats, Zach. You’re being guarded by a dog and you’re still shooting step-back mid-range jumpers. Even a corgi could tell you it’s the most inefficient shot in the game.

Rudy Gobert can’t smell anything

The Jazz center has been quarantined at home as he recovers from the COVID-19 infection. Apparently he’s developed an actual but lightly reported symptom. Losing the sense of smell and taste is traumatic but in the grand scheme of things, it could be much worse. Also, it’s probably hard to get a proper Brie in Salt Lake City so if he has to subsist on Kraft singles this could actually be a blessing.

Is Tobias Harris cracking up?

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-BNJVVhLeL/?igshid=fm1hidiuclju

Apparently Harris has been posting regularly on Instagram as though the NBA season is continuing to be played as normal. In this alternate world, the Matisse Thybulle just posted a career-high (which means more than 20 points) as Philly got the win. It’s either a fun gag or a sign that Harris could really use some outside time.

Jamal Murray got hacked

We aren’t linking anything here but the Nuggets guard was hacked and some NSFW personal videos were shared. Two-factor authentication, people, now more than ever.

Get your kicks from P.J. Tucker

A notorious sneakerhead, Tucker just announced plans to open a sneaker store in Houston this summer. ESPN summarized the Instagram Live session where he announced his plans and it’s a nice push towards thinking about the future in a time where the present feels inescapable.

"“The shoe culture in Houston is cool. There’s a lot of sneakerheads and a lot of people that love shoes here — a lot more than I thought. … I just think there should be more activity.”"

Paychecks still coming for NBA players?

The NBA has announced that it will deliver player paychecks for Apr. 1 but can’t guarantee any payments after that. In our coronavirus FAQ we covered the provision that the league could invoke to give themselves legal cover for not paying the players: “The ‘Force Majure Event’ provision could only be engaged if the league commits to fully canceling the rest of the 2019-20 season so even if it’s used, it likely won’t be for a while.”

If the league does not pay players as expected on Apr. 15 it would be because the rest of the season, including the playoffs, has been canceled. That means we should know one way or the other by Apr. 15 whether there is any more basketball to be played in the 2019-20 season.

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