ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Saturday that the NBA plans to allow players to return to their training centers next Friday, but it also places severe restrictions on what could happen once the doors are opened.
The league closed the game on March 11 and, shortly thereafter, prohibited players from entering the facilities. Currently, only the players admitted to the gates are those who were undergoing an individual rehab when the NBA closed.
More importantly, teams will need to adhere to local rules and guidelines. In New York State, perhaps the global epicenter of the pandemic, the rules of home stay extend until May 15. The Andrew Cuomo government could extend the rules and probably will.
However, Woj noted that there may be options available in the most affected cities and states.
In markets where more restrictive house order governance is still in place, the NBA is telling teams that the league will work with franchises to help find alternative arrangements for their players, sources said.
Wojnarowski did not specify what these alternatives could be.