Yahoo Finance Report: Portland forward Trevor Ariza to sit out NBA’s Orlando restart amid custody case
Portland Trail Blazers forward Trevor Ariza has decided not to participate when the NBA resumes its season next month at Disney World in Orlando, Florida, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Ariza, per the report, is instead choosing to commit to a one-month visitation window with his 12-year-old son.
Sources: Ariza has been involved in a custody case over his 12-year old son, and mother’s choice of granting a court-ordered one month visitation period during league’s quarantine of teams in Orlando left Ariza to choose those parenting responsibilities over competing in restart. https://t.co/STYQi2RGDW
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 22, 2020
Ariza has reportedly been involved in a custody case regarding his son, whose mother granted a court-ordered one-month visitation period around the time of the league’s restart. Her move left Ariza with the choice of being with his son or playing with the team in Florida.
Players must inform the league by Wednesday if they plan to participate in the NBA’s 22-team restart plan, however will not be punished if they decide not to play. Many have reportedly considered sitting out for numerous reasons, including the Black Lives Matter movement and concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic — which has spiked in Florida in recent days, something that’s reportedly been concerning to commissioner Adam Silver.
Ariza is the second player to decide to sit out, joining Washington Wizards forward Davis Bertans. Bertans chose to do so on Monday as a “preventative measure” due to his history of ACL injuries ahead of his impending free agency this summer. Ariza, per Wojnarowski, could end up losing between $1 million and $1.8 million in salary by not playing.
Ariza has averaged 11 points and 4.8 rebounds in 21 games for the Trail Blazers this season before play was suspended. The 34-year-old started the year with the Sacramento Kings, though was dealt to Portland in January.
The Trail Blazers can replace Ariza, and any other player who decides not to play, with a substitute player. They will enter the restart with a 29-37 record, which places them just outside of the eighth seed in the Western Conference.
More from Yahoo Sports:
