[BessLineberger]

NBA teams began coronavirus testing to prepare for camp around Nov. 24, and the league said 48 players -- almost 9% of all tested -- were positive for COVID-19 in the first week of that program.San Antonio Spurs Face Masks

Towns has been tragically impacted by the pandemic. His mother, Jacqueline Cruz-Towns, died on April 13 at age 58 due to complications from COVID-19. While Towns was still mourning his mother’s passing, he believed it was important to stand up against police brutality and racial injustice following the death of Floyd on May 25 in Minneapolis while in police custody. Towns was present during a press conference for a rally for Floyd that was attended by former NBA player Stephen Jackson and other local dignitaries.Boston Celtics Face Masks

"Those were iconic moments," Spoelstra said. "Not just for our organization, but in this league. To be able to do what he did and inspire an entire organization and team. As it's happening, you're in the middle of it, but you're still able to step back and acknowledge that this is really uncommon ..."

With the coronavirus pandemic ongoing, the league is facing decisions about how to undertake a campaign outside the relative security of a bubble. The NBA circulated a 134-page guide about health and safety protocols last week, but it has outstanding concerns to address.

Curry, who was originally selected by the Warriors with the seventh pick in the 2009 NBA draft, is currently in the midst of a five-year, $201 million supermax extension signed in 2017. As ESPN's Bobby Marks reported, the max extension Curry is eligible for would be for three years and $156 million. It would start in 2022-23.Chicago Bulls Face Masks

“I felt like I had to be there being in the city that I’m from,” said Russell, 24. “I was nervous. It was kind of out of character to do that. I’m not the type of guy to do that. But I had to. I kept making eye contact with a lot of people and I kept seeing the pain out of those people’s eyes, too, with what they have been dealing with. What came to my mind was just everybody is different in some way, shape or form.

The memo also says that qualifying factors to determine whether players fall under "unusual circumstances" include a player's age, injury history, COVID-19 recovery, season and career workload, and schedule issues -- including how many games a team has recently played and how many consecutive road games it has played.Phoenix Suns Face Masks