Celtics' Jayson Tatum: NBA Players Want to Restart Season Under Right Conditions

Despite wanting to resume the 2019-20 NBA season, Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum has expressed reservation about taking steps such as playing games without any fans amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Tatum discussed the situation Monday on First Take:

"From all of the guys I've talked to and all of the conversations that I've heard, everybody wants to play. I think that's the consensus throughout the league. We obviously want to play but under the right circumstances. We gotta just put our trust in the league and the union and understand they'll make the right decision. Obviously, I don't think it's a perfect scenario, that playing without fans would be fun. Nobody has really ever experienced that. I'm not sure that I would be in favor of playing without fans, but I don't think that putting anybody's health or life at risk is more important."

Some questioned whether the NBA could play in empty arenas in order to restart the season.

However, taking that step may not be enough to ensure the NBA's return. ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported Monday the discussions between players and teams have shifted from how to restart the season toward navigating the financial fallout of canceling:

The Chinese Basketball Association has been a test case for the NBA since China has been combatting the pandemic longer than the United States. The NBA could potentially mimic the CBA's steps in getting action underway again.

The Chinese government has placed an indefinite postponement on major sports leagues, however, with Windhorst reporting officials were concerned with asymptomatic carriers of the coronavirus spreading the disease.

This has added another layer of uncertainty around the NBA's immediate future.