Tag: orlando bubble

Boston Celtics to begin mandatory COVID-19 testing on June 23rd

The Boston Celtics will begin testing for the coronavirus Tuesday ahead of traveling to Florida to resume the 2019-20 NBA season.

The Boston Celtics and 21 other teams headed to Lake Buena Vista Florida to complete the NBA’s 2019-20 season are less than two weeks away from the start of mandatory COVID-19 testing to ensure an infection-free start to the resumption of the season.

Taking place at Disney’s NBA campus on the Wide World of Sports complex, the league will begin ramping up key parts of its return to play methodology, which includes requiring participating players return to their home markets for the test.

The evaluative period begins June 23rd, and ends on June 30th.

Mercifully for those players, the invasive, deep nasal swab tests demonstrated by Celtic Enes Kanter on his Instagram will not be used in most cases.

According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, a shallow nasal swab and oral swab (PCR test) and a blood draw (serology or antibody test) will be the primary means of testing players, with Quest Diagnostics being the NBA’s partner in coronavirus testing.

Any positive result will automatically trigger a second test to safeguard against false positives.

Confirmed positives will then be required to quarantine for 14 days, and test negative two times before they are allowed to play again, per ESPN’s Tim Bontemps.

Players are currently allowed to work out individually at team facilities, and starting July 1st, those workouts become mandatory.

Group workouts will remain off the table until teams begin to arrive at the NBA Campus between July 7th and 9th, when players will first quarantine until they can test negative twice in tests 24 hours apart.

Once cleared, teams will be able to practice in groups until July 21st, with scrimmages beginning on the 22nd.

And, if all goes well, the season will officially resume on July 30th.

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NBA free agency dates, replacement player rules revealed

The NBA has set dates for the league’s annual signing moratorium and free agency periods, as well as clarifying replacement players rules .

More news about the NBA’s coronavirus-impacted calendar was released Saturday as the league circulated a memo on the dates of the NBA’s annual signing moratorium and free agency signing periods, according to the Associated Press’ Tim Reynolds.

The memo relates that teams will be allowed to speak to free agents two days after the recently-announced date of the 2020 NBA Draft, which will take place on the 16th of October.

The moratorium begins at 12:01 PM ET on October 19th, continuing until noon on October 23rd, with teams being allowed to negotiate with free agents six hours in advance of that deadline, as has been the case in previous seasons.

The first two-thirds of October could be one of the busiest chunks of any NBA season calendar in history.

The 2020 NBA Draft early entry withdrawal date is set for October 6th, and a potential Game 7 of the 2020 NBA Finals at Disney’s Wide World of Sports complex in Lake Buena Vista, Florida could potentially fall as late as October 13th.

Following this, the draft itself is on the 16th, with the moratorium starting just days later.

Rules about replacement players were also clarified by the memo.

“Starting July 1 and going through the end of the seeding games, expected to be Aug. 14, substitute players can be signed to take the place of someone who falls into those categories,” explained Reynolds. “If a player tests positive for coronavirus after the seeding games end, teams would still be allowed to replace them — but only with someone who has three years or less of NBA service.”

Teams with open roster spots will also begin being able to sign open roster spots as soon as this Tuesday, and may continue doing so until June 30th.

NBA transaction window set so Celts, other teams can make roster moves

The Boston Celtics and rest of the NBA will be able to adjust their roster and add eligible free agents between June 23rd and 30th.

The Athletic’s Shams Charania reports the NBA has set dates for its transaction window that will allow teams to make adjustments to their rosters ahead of the resumption of the 2019-20 season at Disney’s NBA Campus in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

Those dates will span between June 23rd at noon ET to 11:59 ET June 30, and the period will allow teams to add players to their rosters (if the team has or opens roster slots) via end-of-season and two way contracts, off waivers, or by converting two way contracts to regular ones during this week.

Any rest-of-season deal will be for a minimum of $183,115 with at least two years of service according to Charania.

While there is no sign Boston plans to make such moves, they could in theory cut players to make room for elevating G League Rookie of the Year Tremont Waters or fan favorite center Tacko Fall up from a two way contract.

The Celtics could also sign an impact free agent should one show interest in joining the team; players who have had a summer, two way or regular contract with an NBA team or a G League affiliate in the last two seasons are eligible for such deals.

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Grant Williams ranked among 12 rookies likely to impact resumed season

Boston Celtics rookie forward Grant Williams was ranked by ESPN as one of a dozen first-year players likely to impact the resumed season.

While he might not be held in too high esteem by former Memphis Grizzlies executive John Hollinger, Boston Celtics rookie forward Grant Williams has at least a few fans among ESPN analysts.

In an article detailing the top 12 rookies expected to leave their mark on the season resumption scheduled to take place at Disney in late July, the Tennessee product found himself ranked 10th overall by ESPN’s Mike Schmitz.

While far too much attention has been focused on what Williams didn’t do, especially early in the 2019-20 season — namely, find the bottom of the net as a shooter — the defense, hustle and intangible effect of the former Volunteer on the Celtics’ rotation undoubtedly contributed to winning.

Even if there’s room to quibble over what kind of role the Charlotte native can have in the postseason.

“Williams is a physical competitor with a strong feel for the game who can help impact winning,” related Schmitz. “I expect him to find a way to get on the floor for Boston in the postseason … He’s experienced, a smart positional defender and a high-motor offensive rebounder. More often than not, he makes the right reads offensively. His jump shot hasn’t quite translated yet, but he should be a contributor to the Celtics’ front line.”

It’s good to see such a brilliant young prospect getting some good press after taking some perhaps underserved hits early on.

It may indeed prove difficult for the rookie to play as much in the playoffs as he did in the regular season, but that’s pretty typical for a first-year player.

While his ceiling might not be too much higher than a long-term, solid starter, that’s precisely what this team needs.

And if “all” they get in the meantime is a player of Williams caliber he’s already demonstrated, it was a draft pick well used to bring him on board.

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Tatum reportedly has no intention of sitting out restart over contract

Boston Celtics All-Star swingman Jayson Tatum reportedly has no plans to sit out the NBA restart in Florida over contract concerns.

Boston Celtics All-Star small forward Jayson tatum has no intentions of sitting out the Orlando-area restart planned for the end of July, reports NBC Boston Sports’ A. Sherrod Blakeley.

The New York Daily News Stefan Bondy published a report that seemed to cast a more pessimistic picture of the Duke product’s desire to play than a report earlier this week by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

That report, regarding players — including Tatum — who wanted insurance to cover risk to looming contract extensions, framed the concern as more of one focused on concern over the danger a resumption of play posed to such extension-eligible players, and mentioned nothing of Tatum’s supposed reluctance to return.

Blakely’s source claims it is untrue that the St. Louis native would sit out the resumed season because of the contract situation, noting Tatum is “concerned like every other player about returning to play. There’s a lot … going on in the world that players need to be more concerned about,” the latter a reference to protests over the killing of George Floyd.

“But sitting out because of the contract? Hell no!”, related the unnamed source.

Another anonymous source — this one an executive with an unknown NBA team — shared that, “when it comes to injuries, restart or not, players always run the risk of having one whenever they step on the court.”

“Players have more concerns with the reboot to the season; I get that,” they continued. “But I just don’t see guys sitting out games because they might get hurt. They run that risk every time they play the game.”

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Celtics, NBA’s resumed season coming into focus with new memo

A new memo shared by The Athletic’s Shams Charania relates what Boston and the rest of the league can expect from a restarted season.

Per The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Boston Celtics and 21 other NBA teams slated to travel to Disney’s Wide World of Sports complex in Lake Buena Vista, Florida in late July have received a memo from the league on a number of critical issues regarding the resumption of play.

The number of people in team’s traveling party will be limited to 35, and include an athletic trainer, a strength or conditioning coach, an equipment manager and team security official. Optional members as needed could also include private personal trainers, massage therapists, or additional security.

Hotels will be apportioned to teams based on their current standings in the league, reports Charania.

The Grand Destino will be reserved for the league’s top-tier teams, including the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, Toronto Raptors, Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz and Miami Heat in addition to the Celtics.

The Grand Floridian will be given over to the next tier of teams, which include the Oklahoma City Thunder, Philadelphia 76ers, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, Dallas Mavericks, Brooklyn Nets, Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic, and the last tier of teams will stay at the Yacht Club.

That group of franchises include the teams hoping to play their way into the postseason, and is comprised of the Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, New Orleans Pelicans, San Antonio Spurs, Phoenix Suns, and Washington Wizards, according to Charania.

The Raptors will be the sole team arriving in Orlando to begin training during Phase 1 of the resumed season, which begins on June 12 and continues to June 22. Players abroad or outside their home market are expected to return to it before June 22 at latest.

Once in their home market, players and their households are expected to limit excursions to voluntary practice (for players) and essential trips (for everyone).

Phase 2 is to begin June 23, and include mandatory COVID-19 testing for all players and staff using a variety of testing methods.

Players will have the right to opt out of playing in the resumed series, but will lose 1/92nd of their salary for doing so unless a medical issue or other agreement made with their respective team removes such an obligation.

Phase 3 behind July 1, and is primarily characterized by the start of mandatory individual workouts at team facilities (excluding Toronto); group workouts are off the table for safety reasons.

Phase 4 begins on the 7th of that month at the NBA Campus at Walt Disney World, where teams will arrive in staggered fashion with individual isolation in their hotel rooms until players have two negative coronavirus tests in a row in a 24-hour period.

Masks are to be worn at almost all times, with a limited number of exceptions relative to things like eating or when working out outdoors more than six feet from another person. Special ‘alarm’ rings will be available to help players realize when they get to close to others if desired, which all staff will also wear.

Phase 4 will allow group workouts to begin as early as July 9, context permitting, and will continue on until July 21.

At that point, Phase 5 begins with scrimmage games held until Phase 6 begins on July 30 with the eight so-called “seeding games” that will decide whether there will be a play-in tournament for each conference, and what teams will make the postseason more generally.

A great deal more detail is available in Charania’s article linked here, which is worth a look just for the comprehensive strategies to be used by the NBA in the hopes of avoiding coronavirus infection.

While many issues remain in need of resolution — most notably player reservations about safety and racial justice issues — the plan being developed by the league is finally starting to become tangible.

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WATCH: Carsen Edwards training with Pat Beverly, Isaiah Canaan, others

Watch Boston Celtics rookie shooting guard Carsen Edwards getting in some reps down in his native Texas as he ramps up for the season restart in Florida.

Boston Celtics rookie shooting guard Carsen Edwards was recently scoped getting in some practice with a number of NBA players in Houston, Texas recently, reports Forbes’ Chris Grenham.

Along with Pat Beverly, Bruno Caboclo, Isaiah Canaan, Damyean Dotson and others, the Texan first-year guard could be seen getting in some training time with fellow NBAers in a video shared by NBA skills trainer Aaron Miller last week.

Edwards, who has had a rough rookie season from a shooting perspective, needs to get his confidence up from behind the arc, where he has shot just 30.9 % at the NBA level (and just 32.7 % overall) compared to his 36.8 % clip while with Purdue.

With the season restarting in Florida at the Disney-owned ESPN Wide World of Sport complex in Lake Buena Vista, Edwards will get another chance to end his inaugural campaign as a pro with some forward momentum.

So, getting in some reps with high-caliber opponents like these players should help get the former Boilermaker back on track to close out 2019-20 on a high note.

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Ex-Celts Irving, Bradley lead group after greater voice in NBA affairs

Ex-Celtic guards Avery Bradley and Kyrie Irving are leading a faction of players who want more from the NBA regarding restarting the season, and addressing racial justice issues.

Former Boston Celtics guards Kyrie Irving and Avery Bradley have emerged as driving forces behind a faction of NBA players seeking a greater voice in how the league conducts its business, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Malika Andrews.

Having organized multiple conference calls seeking clarity on issues related to civil unrest stemming from the killing of George Floyd and the looming season restart at a Disney property in Lake Buena Vista, Florida in July, the pair believe they have a duty to address a number of concerns some players may not be open to voicing publicly.

Bradley and Irving released a statement to ESPN about these concerns, which reads:

“We are a group of men and women from different teams and industries that are normally painted as opponents, but have put our egos and differences aside to make sure we stand united and demand honesty during this uncertain time.

Native indigenous African Caribbean men and women entertaining the world, we will continue to use our voices and platforms for positive change and truth.

We are truly at an inflection point in history where as a collective community, we can band together — UNIFY — and move as one. We need all our people with us and we will stand together in solidarity.

As an oppressed community we are going on 500-plus years of being systemically targeted, used for our IP [intellectual property] /Talent, and also still being killed by the very people that are supposed to ‘protect and serve’ us.

WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH!

We are combating the issues that matter most: We will not accept the racial injustices that continue to be ignored in our communities. We will not be kept in the dark when it comes to our health and well-being. And we will not ignore the financial motivations/expectations that have prevented us historically from making sound decisions.

This is not about individual players, athletes or entertainers. This is about our group of strong men and women uniting for change. We have our respective fields, however, we will not just shut up and play to distract us from what this whole system has been about: Use and Abuse.

We are all fathers, daughters, leaders and so much more. So what is our BIG picture? We are in this for UNITY and CHANGE!”

The statement specifically refers to concerns about injury and risk of infection by the virus behind the pandemic that forced the hiatus to begin with.

It also touches on concerns about limits on what players might be able to do given the fraught atmosphere surrounding direct action in response to the killing of Floyd now headed into its third week.

The NBA and National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) — of whom Irving is a vice president — continue their negotiations on these and many other related issues concerning the July season resumption.

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WATCH: Tacko Fall, Gordon Hayward putting in work in Auerbach Center

Boston Celtics veteran forward Gordon Hayward and two way fan favorite Tacko Fall were getting in reps at Auerbach Center recently.

As the revised NBA 2019-20 season ‘Orlando bubble’ restart target date of July 30 draws closer, the Boston Celtics are ramping up their training in anticipation, most notably two way big man Tacko Fall and veteran forward Gordon Hayward.

The duo was recently filmed getting in some reps at the Auerbach Center practice facility in Waltham, Massachusetts in videos shared on Monday by team president Danny Ainge on Twitter.

The Senegalese center can be seen working on his footwork and rim protection skills while the Indiana native was busy bombing away from long range.

The pair was clearly in the zone, locked in as they brush off some of the dust their respective games accumulated over the three month hiatus.

Watch the video embedded above to see Hayward and Fall doing their thing as they get ready to get back in action in the Magic Kingdom; with a little luck, live game action isn’t too many more weeks away.

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Boston’s Jayson Tatum, other young stars seek increased insurance

Boston Celtics All-Star forward Jayson Tatum joins several other rising stars in inquiring about expanded insurance to protect against injury in the ‘Orlando bubble’ restart.

Soon headed into a life-changing offseason in terms of a likely max or near-max contract extension, Boston Celtics All-Star swingman Jayson Tatum is one of several young stars on the rise in search of more insurance from the NBA, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Along with Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat, De’Aaron Fox of the Sacramento Kings, Kyle Kuzma of the Los Angeles Lakers and Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz, the rising players inquired about NBA-financed insurance policies on a call with the National Basketball Players’ Association (NBPA) Friday.

Such policies, intended to protect against career-threatening injuries in any worst-case scenario sustained in the ‘Orlando bubble’ restart, were a  topic of conversation on the call with NBPA executive director Michelle Roberts and senior counsel Ron Klempner, reports Wojnarowski.

Concerns over the irregular nature of the hiatus and its ability to contribute to injury (to say nothing of the risks presented by COVID-19) loom as concerns for players across the league, and these players in particular — all eligible for considerable pay raises come the offseason.

The ESPN analyst reports the NBA and NBPA have been engaged in negotiations on this topic among the many on their slate needed to make the summer season restart possible.

Wojnaroski reports the price tag of insurance policies on contract earnings in the roughly $100 million range each, which will likely be necessary for every player participating in the restart who qualifies.

While an expensive bit of overhead in need of attention, it would be nothing compared to the cost of not having star talent available to drive fan interest.

It seems likely this bit of business will be resolved given the league’s progressive stance towards player protection, but it does shed a light on just one small aspect of all the challenges the league will have to resolve to actually pull this restart off.

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