Spurs’ season reboot won’t include All-Star Aldridge
Seven-time All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge will miss the remainder of San Antonio’s season while he recovers from surgery on his right shoulder, a major blow to the Spurs’ postseason chances, assuming the season continues as planned.
The Spurs announced Monday that Aldridge had the surgery on April 24, stemming from an injury he suffered in a game at Utah on Feb. 21.
San Antonio is one of the 22 teams will that report to the ESPN Wide Wide Of Sports complex at the Disney campus near Orlando, Florida, starting next month, when the NBA plans to resume its season.
When play resumes, the Spurs will be among four teams — the others being Portland, New Orleans and Sacramento — that are all separated by a half-game in the race for ninth place in the Western Conference and potentially a berth in a play-in series. The gap between those four teams is .010 percentage points.
The Spurs say Aldridge, 34, “is expected to be fully cleared for all basketball activities” in time for training camp ahead of next season.
Football TEAMS RECEIVE PLANNER FOR REOPENING FACILITIES >>
The NFL and the players’ union sent a planner to the 32 teams Monday outlining procedures for the full reopening of their practice facilities, which were closed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
In a lengthy four-part memo to the clubs written by Commissioner Roger Goodell and approved by the NFL Players Association, the league described protocols focusing on screening, testing, and infection prevention and treatment for COVID-19, including response for new infections. Also included were instructions on proper facility access, cleaning and disinfecting; physical distancing; hygiene, health education and medical services; food preparation; supplies; and team travel.
No timetable has been set for the return of most players to team complexes — only players rehabilitating injuries have been allowed to enter the buildings. But this is the next major step toward allowing all players back in club facilities.
Training camps are scheduled to begin in late July, with the first preseason game, Dallas vs. Pittsburgh in the Hall of Fame game, on Aug. 6. The NFL still plans to kick off the regular season in Kansas City on Sept. 10.
TRUMP QUESTIONS GOODELL >>
President Donald Trump questioned whether NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is changing the league’s position on kneeling during the national anthem in a tweet posted late Sunday night.
“Could it be even remotely possible that in Roger Goodell’s rather interesting statement of peace and reconciliation, he was intimating that it would now be O.K. for the players to KNEEL, or not to stand, for the National Anthem, thereby disrespecting our Country & our Flag?” Trump wrote.
Goodell shared a video message of inclusiveness and racial equality in which he said the NFL will encourage players to speak out and protest following the death of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer in Minneapolis on May 25. In the video, Goodell said “We, the NFL, condemn racism and the systematic oppression of Black People. We, the NFL, admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest. We, the NFL, believe Black Lives Matter.”
Encouraging players to peacefully protest could include kneeling during the national anthem played prior to games. However, if fans aren’t present during games during the 2020 regular season, it’s possible the NFL and its broadcast partners will not air the playing of the anthem in empty stadiums.
Several NFL owners have publicly and privately supported Trump, including the New England Patriots’ Robert Kraft, Miami Dolphins’ Stephen Ross and Dallas Cowboys’ Jerry Jones.
VIKINGS’ COOK THREATENS HOLDOUT >>
Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook will be a holdout from training camp unless he gets a contract extension, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Monday.
The team has yet to reach a new deal with its superstar tailback, who is in the final year of his rookie contract and scheduled to make $1.3 million in base salary this year. Cook, 24, wants to at least match, if not surpass, the contract of Houston Texans running back David Johnson, who makes $13 million per season, Schefter reported. The Carolina Panthers gave fellow Class of 2017 running back Christian McCaffery a new deal that pays him $16 million per year in the offseason.
Cook played a career-high 14 games last season, rushing for 1,135 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also had 53 receptions.
Hockey COYOTES’ GUTIERREZ MAKES NHL HISTORY >>
The Arizona Coyotes have made Xavier Gutierrez the first Latino team president and CEO in NHL history. Gutierrez’s hiring was announced Monday by Alex Meruelo, who became the NHL’s first Latino controlling owner when he bought a majority stake in the Coyotes last year. Gutierrez previously served as managing director at Clearlake Capital Group and was chief investment officer of Meruelo Group, which is owned by Alex Meruelo.
Soccer U.S. SOCCER MAY REPEAL ANTHEM POLICY >>
The U.S. Soccer Federation’s board of directors plans to meet today to consider repealing a policy requiring national team players to stand during the national anthem, according to multiple reports. A formal vote is expected Friday.
The USSF voted to enact the policy in 2017 in response to U.S. women’s national team player Megan Rapinoe kneeling for the national anthem before a 2016 match against Thailand.
Motors HAMILTON SUPPORTS SACKING SLAVE OWNER STATUE >>
Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton has backed anti-racism demonstrators who tore down a statue of 17th-century slave owner Edward Colston in Bristol, southwest England, on Sunday.
While the scenes have been criticized by members of the UK government — Home Secretary Priti Patel told Sky News that the incident was “utterly disgraceful” — six-time world champion Hamilton wrote in an Instagram story that “our country honored a man who sold African slaves.”
“All statues of racist men who made money from selling a human being should be torn down! Which one is next?” said the British F1 star, who has frequently spoken out eloquently and passionately on the issue of racial injustice, particularly since the death of George Floyd.
In a post later on Monday, Hamilton reiterated his support for the activists and said the statue should be replaced with a memorial for “all those that lost their lives.”
Golf “CONFESSION CAM” COMING TO TV COVERAGE >>
Jim Nantz will be alone in the broadcast booth when the PGA Tour resumes its schedule Thursday. That’s not the only voice CBS Sports wants to hear at Colonial.
In announcing the broadcast and productions plans for the return to golf, CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus said the network would have what Nantz dubbed a “confession cam.” Players would walk into a tent during the round and talk briefly into a remote camera. McManus also said the network has been working more aggressively to have players wear microphones, and that CBS already has received commitments from some players.