After George Floyd was murdered at the hands of the police, protests erupted all around the country and now, protests are popping up all over the world. It is very clear that people have both seen and had enough. Lawmakers are already looking to make changes and it seems as though the thoughts of the people are being heard. While there is still plenty of progress to be made, positive changes are, indeed, coming.
Matt Barnes was always vocal during his time in the NBA and in his retirement, he has kept that same energy. Barnes always brings nuanced thoughts to these big societal topics, and he is also very well-connected within the league. During an appearance on Yahoo! Sports' Dunk Bait podcast, Barnes revealed that he has been talking to players on both Los Angeles NBA teams and there is this growing feeling that some players would rather not return amid all of the social unrest.
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As Barnes explains, the players don't want the return of the league to take away from the massive movement that is happening right now. Some things are much bigger than sports and the players admit that social injustice needs to be taken care of first.
It remains to be seen whether or not this sentiment will continue to grow throughout the league or if it will dissipate prior to July 31st. Regardless, the players are serious about having their voices heard.
