Nets' Garrett Temple: Playing NBA Games, Earning Paycheck Furthers Equality

The NBA's season is currently suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is set to resume July 30 at ESPN's Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

There is some concern among some players regarding a return to play, however, given the continued spread of COVID-19 as well as worldwide protests sparked by the May 25 killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody.

Brooklyn Nets guard/forward and National Basketball Players Association vice president Garrett Temple is in favor of resuming play, however, per comments made to ESPN's Malika Andrews:

"The difference in the economic gap between white America and black America is astronomical. I can't in good conscience tell my brethren to throw away millions of dollars in order to create change that I don't see the direct impact of—if there was a direct impact of laws changing, that would be a different story."

"So, when people bring up not playing—we are a few black men that can make a little bit of money. It is not a lot of money when (you) think about it in the grand scheme of America. But we can start having a little bit of money, create a little bit of generational wealth."

"But the fact that us not playing will hurt our pockets, I don't think that is the right way to go about it."

Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, "there were 40 to 50 players on conference calls over the past 24 hours discussing a number of concerns centered on the restart in Orlando."

"Players are citing a number of concerns, including family situations, the inability to leave the Disney World Resort campus, the coronavirus pandemic and the implications surrounding the emergence of social justice causes in the country," Wojnarowski added.

Player who decide against going to Florida to finish the season will not be paid for missed games, per Wojnarowski.

Many players have taken part in social justice protests in the months leading back to the resumption of play, a list that includes Indiana Pacers point guard Malcolm Brogdon, Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown and numerous members of the Milwaukee Bucks, including 2019 NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Temple spoke about how players can come together while in Florida to come up with ideas to take future action for further progress:

"One reason for us to go to Orlando is while we're there, we can talk amongst each other and maybe come up with a plan, maybe come up with some type of action. We need to come together and come up with something. The attention is going to be on us when we're in that bubble. I know we can think of something that does not hurt the pockets of our young black men."

Temple also noted how money earned by playing these games could go toward their communities.

"At the end of the day, money isn't everything, but it helps," the 34-year-old said. "And we need it in our community now more than ever. The economic gap is too wide."

Temple's Nets are one of 22 NBA teams set to finish out the remainder of the 2019-20 season, which is scheduled to begin July 30 and run as late as October 12.