The Boston Celtics are reportedly one of several teams requesting to report directly to training camp once the 2019-20 NBA season is restarted, according to ESPN senior writer Adrian Wojnarowski.
Among teams whose markets were late to lift stay-at-home orders, the Celtics are petitioning the NBA to be able to go directly to wherever the final location chosen to restart the season occurs in.
With the league officially in talks with Disney to use ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida as the sole site being reported by fellow ESPN writer Ramona Shelburne, it appears likely to be firmly in the center of the Sunshine state.
NBA officially in talks with Disney to host remainder of '19-20 season https://t.co/FP3ffmz8tp via @thecelticswire
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) May 23, 2020
The primary concern is the competitive advantage which other teams may have over franchises in areas where those stay-at-home orders remained in place longer, according to Wojnarowski.
“Most teams in regions still adhering to stay-at-home policies amid the coronavirus pandemic have an abundance of players who left their marketplace during the shutdown and would need to quarantine for an extended period — perhaps as many as 14 days — prior to joining workouts in team facilities,” explained Wojnaroski.
“Teams want to avoid having to quarantine significant portions of their rosters twice — once upon returning to more restrictive markets, and again, at the bubble site,” related the ESPN analyst.
Teams prefer to avoid having to quarantine significant portions of their rosters twice; once upon returning to more restrictive Covid-19 markets and again upon arrival at the bubble/campus site. https://t.co/2ARTFUK6rQ
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 22, 2020
Additional concern over the relatively limited range of allowed activities in team facilities’ ability to keep players engaged was also voiced by front offices.
A board of governors meeting is set for this coming Friday, and addressing these concerns will be among several related issues on the docket alongside scheduling details and other minutiae related to restarting the season.
Such issues will include the format of the playoffs and number of remaining regular season games (if any) to be played, whether a play-in tournament for the postseason might be implemented, and many other pressing concerns for teams as a ramp-up time frame is beginning to become clearer.
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