Chris Paul should sleep with one eye open.
With the league’s return to Orlando, a hotline system has been put into place. League officials are constructing a way for players to report rule violations through an anonymous tip line.
According to Shams Charania, multiple tips have already been placed into the anonymous hotline ahead of the season’s restart. Most of these tips have to do with protocol violations on campus.
Multiple tips have been placed into the NBA’s anonymous hotline to report protocol violations on campus, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 14, 2020
Other tips have to do with players violating social distancing or mask regulations.
Some players have received warnings from violations, sources said, as league ensures social distancing and mask protocols on campus. https://t.co/LSRX6cXWfP
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 14, 2020
The league is clearly taking a strict stance to enforce COVID-19 related safety procedures, but the anonymous hotline might unintentionally take a comedic turn.
“To all my fellow NBA players, don’t call the snitch hotline,” Brooklyn Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie told Bleacher Report.
Asked Spencer Dinwiddie if he had a message for guys that are IN the bubble.
I’m just gonna leave this here. I was not expecting him to say this. Lol pic.twitter.com/1xfbKVh3RW
— Taylor Rooks (@TaylorRooks) July 14, 2020
With Chris Paul in the house, the league doesn’t have to worry about player violations.
The All-Star guard will surely mark every violation down for the league office. Rumors are even swirling that Paul himself engineered the snitch hotline.
hm … I wonder who it could be … https://t.co/CwSp0cGUnd pic.twitter.com/nRCwycLwsW
— RingerNBA (@ringernba) July 14, 2020
Fans are obviously making a reference to the December 2019 incident when Paul told on an opponent for an untucked jersey.
Chris Paul getting the officials to call a foul on a dead ball because Jordan Bell hadn't tucked in his jersey is max level CP3 pic.twitter.com/gZe3BrR7Yr
— CJ Fogler AKA Perc70 #BlackLivesMatter (@cjzero) December 7, 2019
During the final seconds of the Timberwolves and Thunder matchup, Paul pointed out Jordan Bell’s untucked jersey to the officials. This was the Wolves’ second delay of game penalty on the night.
Because the rulebook states that a technical foul is granted for the opposing team, the Thunders took the game to overtime, eventually beating the distraught Timberwolves.
Chris Paul breaking down the Jordan Bell untucked jersey he called out.
Did he know the T-Wolves already had one delay of game earlier?
“Yep.” pic.twitter.com/NbzNSMh2MK
— Erik Horne (@ErikkHorne) December 7, 2019
Paul will be keeping a close eye on his comrades’ violations in bubble city, Orlando.
https://twitter.com/pr00fessor/status/1283120909767839744
Dwight Howard seems to be Paul’s first victim, as he was caught red-handed without his virus protection on.
Dwight Howard said he was reported on the snitch hotline because he didn't have his mask on. https://t.co/pPSfb5RXku
— 👑 Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson (@ScoopB) July 16, 2020
The NBA must be careful to abide by all safety precautions, on a serious note.
The league’s return serves as the grand restart for American sports, as well as a jump-start for the economy. More importantly, though, it stands as a source of representation for players and their messages of activism.
The NBA has approved the following list of social messages that players can wear on their jersey in Orlando, per @MarcJSpears pic.twitter.com/HpRGQwaBe9
— Top Ball Coverage (@TopBallCoverage) July 3, 2020
We look forward to watching the NBA resume play July 29 in Orlando, FL.