The NBA and NBPA have approved the league's 22-team return-to-play format, officially ending the 2019-20 campaign for eight clubs.
Although the joint decision doesn't affect players who were already ruled out for the year, others are feeling its impact for various reasons.
Here are 10 players we'll miss once the action resumes at Walt Disney World in Orlando:
Vince Carter
Carter earned the nicknames "Half Man, Half Amazing" and "Air Canada" for his incredible athleticism and jaw-dropping dunks, most notably as a member of the Toronto Raptors. The 43-year-old is retiring after playing in a record-setting 22 NBA seasons.
Although at the end Carter was far removed from his days of posterizing opponents, he evoked nostalgic feelings whenever the eight-time All-Star threw down a jam. The coronavirus pandemic prevented Carter from making one last trip north of the border, but Atlanta Hawks fans did give Vinsanity a pretty cool send-off.
Stephen Curry
We were only able to watch Curry play in five games this season due to a broken hand that kept him out of the Golden State Warriors' lineup for over four months. He finally made his return on March 5 against the Raptors, but then missed the next two contests. The season was then suspended on March 11.
It will be strange to watch a postseason without Curry casually heaving in 3-pointers from near the logos. Not seeing the Warriors at all will be odd, too, with their run of five straight Finals appearances now over.
Klay Thompson
Unlike Curry, Thompson didn't appear at all this season. The five-time All-Star has been out the entire campaign while recovering from the torn ACL he suffered during last year's Finals. However, there seemed to be a faint, and perhaps overly optimistic, glimmer of hope that he'd make a late return if the Warriors stayed in the postseason race.
Now a potential comeback from the Warriors' second Splash Brother has been ruled out entirely. But at the very least, the extended recovery time should allow Thompson to return at full health for 2020-21.
John Wall
While the Washington Wizards will be one of the teams in Orlando, and the only Eastern Conference squad not currently in a playoff spot, Wall has already confirmed he won't participate despite feeling healthy. That means it'll be up to Bradley Beal to lead the club back to the postseason.
With Wall out until at least the start of the 2020-21 campaign, the star guard will go about two years without appearing in a game (assuming next season begins in December). He hasn't played since Dec. 26, 2018 due to an Achilles tear suffered while recuperating at home from heel surgery.
Trae Young
The Hawks weren't great this season, which was to be expected with a rebuilding team. But Young made them one of the most entertaining clubs to watch. The sharpshooting point guard seemed to defy convention this season, pulling up from wherever he felt appropriate and still hitting 36.1% of his threes.
His 29.6 points per game in 2019-20 gave him the eighth-highest scoring rate for a sophomore player in NBA history, according to Basketball Reference. The last time a second-year player matched Young's output was when Bob McAdoo poured in 30.6 points per game in 1973-74.
Kevin Durant
Durant is still yet to make his Brooklyn Nets debut after signing with the team last summer. He hasn't played since tearing his Achilles in Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals. Though the Nets will be in Orlando attempting to hold on to their playoff spot, Durant definitively said Friday he won't play at all this season, ending months of speculation.
Brooklyn is also likely to be without Kyrie Irving, who's still recovering from shoulder surgery. However, the Irving-Durant duo is expected to finally come together in 2020-21, almost certainly establishing the Nets as an Eastern Conference favorite.
Kyrie Irving
Irving averaged a personal-best 27.4 points, 6.4 assists, and 5.2 boards during his injury-shortened debut season in Brooklyn. The enigmatic floor general quickly endeared himself to Nets fans with some high-scoring performances, including a pair of 50-plus-point games. He specifically thrived in clutch situations, posting 5.4 points per contest.
Brooklyn's ceiling was always going to be limited without Durant in the fold, yet Irving's ability to single-handedly take over games would've been an interesting wrinkle in any postseason matchup.
Karl-Anthony Towns
It's unclear if Towns has fully recovered from a left wrist fracture, but the Minnesota Timberwolves' exclusion from the NBA's return to play means we've seen the last of the two-time All-Star this season. Although Towns made just 35 appearances in 2019-20, the 2015 No. 1 pick remained a force when on the court.
Towns was one of the Association's top inside-out threats, averaging a career-high 26.5 points while shooting 41.2% on nearly eight attempts from deep per game. He ranked fourth in the NBA in post-up scoring, recording 4.4 points per contest. The T-Wolves' campaign ending prematurely also means fans won't see Towns play alongside his good friend D'Angelo Russell.
D'Angelo Russell
Russell's days in the Bay Area were numbered the moment he agreed to a sign-and-trade deal with the Warriors last summer. The 24-year-old was an awkward long-term fit with Curry and Thompson locked into Golden State's backcourt. In February, Minnesota acquired Russell in a blockbuster deal that sent Andrew Wiggins the other way.
D-Lo made the most of his fresh start, averaging 21.7 points and 6.6 assists across his first 12 appearances for the T-Wolves. While wins were sparse, Russell's ability to score and facilitate injected new life into the club's offense. The All-Star guard's crafty playmaking in pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop situations could further elevate Towns' scoring next season.
Draymond Green
Is there ever a dull moment with Green? The 2019-20 postseason will definitely feel different without the three-time All-Star's boisterous trash talking. While Green often tests boundaries with his word choices, there's no questioning his on-court impact.
The Michigan State product's numbers don't do justice to his value to the Warriors. Green defends multiple positions, creates scoring opportunities for his teammates, and he's an excellent screener. Perhaps Golden State's playoff absence will remind us of his unique skill set.
