NBA Reopening Some Team Practice Facilities On May 1st

NBA Reopening Some Team Practice Facilities On May 1st

The NBA is planning to reopen selected team practice facilities beginning on Friday (May 1st), for states that are loosening stay-at-home restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic. According to reports, the association will allow each player to volunteer travel to their respected facilities for individual workouts which strengthen organizations chances of returning all players in post season play while keeping a safe environment.

In addition, areas effected more severely by the ongoing health crisis will continue to follow regulations and reportedly remain in place. The NBA is informing teams the league will work with franchises to help find alternative arrangements for their players. A general manager says:

“If our players can travel and play at a 24-Hour Fitness in Atlanta, they should be able to have access to our facilities.”

However, the league’s decision to allow for some facilities to reopen has opened up concern for many other general managers who have reportedly,

“expressed concern to ESPN about the safety of the idea, especially given expert medical opinions have been against the idea of reopening businesses.”

This week, two NBA franchises are expected to reopen their facilities for players to volunteer including the Atlanta Hawks and the Oklahoma City Thunder. For Georgia, over 20,000 individual coronavirus cases have been confirmed with just under 1,000 deaths. As far as Oklahoma, over 3,000 cases have been confirmed with no more than 200 deaths from the virus.

This decision comes nearly two weeks after the tragic news of Minnesota Timberwolves forward, Karl-Anthony Towns’ mother passed away from coronavirus.

Karl-Anthony Towns, Jr and parents Jacqueline Cruz and Karl Towns, Sr

NBA commissioner Adam Silver still isn’t sure when an official date will be agreed upon to make their return. Silver says earlier this month,

“We are not in a position to make any decisions, and it’s unclear when we will be.”

In reaction to the league’s long awaited return from the health crisis, the NBA plans to withhold 25% of player salaries beginning May 15. The decision which was announced last weekend (April 18th) and was made in conjunction with the National Basketball Players Association and will be expected to continue through the course of the coronavirus outbreak.