The NBA is experiencing a referee shortage, with nine veteran officials currently sidelined because of the league’s health and safety protocols, according to Baxter Holmes of ESPN.
A 10th is sidelined because of an injury, Holmes added. Some of the refs who are MIA are relied upon to work Finals games.
“We at the NBA have taken a very strong stance, especially with referees traveling commercial, that we want referees and the teams that they are serving to be safe,” Monty McCutchen, the NBA’s vice president of referee development and training, told Holmes/ESPN. “And so with an abundance of caution, we pull people out on contact tracing, if there’s even the smallest inkling [of an issue].”
Per the report, the NBA has had to use some G League officials in the absence of the more-experienced veterans.
This has led to questions (and seemingly widespread disappointment) about the officiating from NBA general managers. One GM told Holmes that it’s “been bad all year.”
The NBA is hopeful the status of its referees will improve with the availability of vaccine.
“We’ve been affected just like every other stakeholder has been affected: teams, coaches, players, GMs, referees,” McCutchen told Holmes. “I think we’re all dealing with very similar stresses.”
