Several NBA Execs Concerned About Psychological Effects Of Return

Several NBA team officials said that the "psychological effects of returning to organized activities during a global pandemic must be considered for players and staffers around the league," as the first wave of teams prepare to reopen facilities for individual workouts on Friday, according to Baxter Holmes of ESPN.com. Several GMs and athletic trainers "pointed to a number of players -- though they say it's not a large percentage -- whom they would describe as 'germophobes.'" These team officials also noted that there are "several executives and other league staffers in the same position." Multiple athletic training officials "referred to this psychological impact as a powerful added stressor for some players that could no doubt inhibit their ability to perform." If some players are "ultimately uncomfortable being on the court -- and, thus, breaking social distancing guidelines -- then a number of team officials said they expect that feeling will dissipate in time, especially as financial losses mount" (ESPN.com, 5/7).

• A source said that the Heat now are "targeting Wednesday, at the earliest, for the first day it will allow players to begin working out at AmericanAirlines Arena." This represents "another delay in the process for Miami, as the Heat first hoped to open arena doors to players on Friday." Then Monday was the target date "before it was pushed back again to Wednesday" (MIAMI HERALD, 5/8).
• The 76ers are "not among the teams permitted to unlock their gym doors," as only teams in cities and states in which local governments have "eased restrictions on facilities will be allowed to open." The team practices in Camden, N.J., and the state's "near-lockdown is expected to remain in place for weeks" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 5/8).
• The Kings "plan to reopen their Golden 1 Center practice facility for voluntary individual workouts next week with strict protocols in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus." The Kings on Thursday said that the facility "will open Monday" (SACRAMENTO BEE, 5/8).
• It is "unclear when the Thunder plans to reopen its practice facility." The team "provided no update" as of 5:00pm CT Thursday, instead deferring to what Thunder Exec VP & GM Sam Presti said last week. Presti said then of reopening on Friday, "I wouldn't say we're committing to doing that" (OKLAHOMAN, 5/8).

DON'T FORCE IT: In Boston, Adam Himmelsbach wrote while the return of basketball "would be great for fans," people should "not pretend that there is a need to restart because the entire country is yearning for it." Himmelsbach: "Hopefully, by late summer, the virus will have relented, a true 'bubble' scenario will be plausible and the games can go on. But even then, there will be risks." It is "clear at this point that the league is not going to rush anything." But it "should also be careful not to force anything." If for some reason no champion is crowned this year, people will all "move on and be fine." But if someone "dies as a result of the NBA's thirst to resume play, it would be crushing." It has been "heartening to hear how serious the league is about ensuring that safety remains the top priority, and hopefully it will stay that way, because when the games finally do come back, we certainly do not want to lose them again" (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/7).

DIFFICULT PATH FORWARD: Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban last week said that he was "hopeful the season would resume," but also "acknowledged this week that conditions needed to be perfect for that to happen." USA TODAY's Jeff Zillgitt noted that is "not to douse optimism about the NBA returning to finish this season, but to offer realism." NBA execs "continue to have theoretical discussions about what a return would look like, even getting down to nitty-gritty details such as the size of a team’s traveling party." What this all "reinforces is how difficult it will be for the NBA to finish this season, even as tiny nuggets of optimism emerge" (USA TODAY, 5/8).