The NBA has been on hold since March 11 due to the global coronavirus pandemic, but as the curve begins to flatten and states begin to loosen their stay at home orders, the league has hopes that they can return fairly soon.
They have a few options that they can look to for their “bubble” idea to resume the season as both Disney World Resorts in Orlando and Las Vegas are legitimate options for that plan to work. In an effort to try and ramp up those efforts, teams could begin to re-open their training facilities in markets where the stay at home restrictions have been lifted. A few times have already re-opened their doors to allow players to begin training and working out again.
There appears to be more in store as The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor reports that the league is hoping to have teams to begin training camps in early to mid June.
O’Connor writes:
Sources say the NBA is hoping that all players, coaches, and staffers will be in their respective teams’ cities by early-to-mid-June in order to begin training camp.
The league wants to wait until June so they can learn from the other sports leagues such as MLB, the NFL, and leagues such as the KBO and even pro golf. O’Connor adds:
By that point, the NBA will be able to learn from the experiences of other sports leagues. The NFL announced its schedule on Thursday night. MLB is expected to present players with a proposal next week. The PGA Tour is planning on resuming play in June. Around the world—from the KBO in South Korea to the Bundesliga in Germany—some sports plan to be in full swing by June. Waiting will allow the NBA to avoid the bad optics of being the first league to reopen, and give it more information about what worked, what didn’t work, and whether resuming play is even possible.
The league is desperate to return to play. They want to crown a champion in 2020 and they will stretch it out as long as they possibly can. Philadelphia 76ers general manager Elton Brand is on a committee that is committed to returning to play as quickly and as safely as possible. It will be relying on data and on science and not the calendar itself so that is where the league is at this moment in time. [lawrence-related id=30661,30655,30647]