Since the start of the lockout, NBA teams have been instructed not to promote players in any way. As a result, team websites have been wiped clean of any mention of the league's over 400 players.
Gabe Feldman, the director of Tulane University’s sports law program, said there was no compelling legal reason to remove player images. He suggested the decision was “a symbolic move,” implying that the owners would not only shut down the league but would “stop promoting the players, too.”