Players and personnel will be expected to wear facemasks at all times when at a team facilityNBAE/GETTY IMAGES
The NBA compiled a "comprehensive health and safety protocol" for the '20-21 NBA season and sent it to its teams, and the 134-page document is "similar to the one the league created to govern everything that happened inside the bubble" in Orlando, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN.com. As before, the league "constructed a rules system for what will happen when someone tests positive for COVID-19." Under that scenario, there are "two potential paths to return." Under the "time-based" resolution, the infected person "would have to either have gone at least 10 days since the date of their first positive test or the onset of any symptoms, if they've had any; gone at least 24 hours since their fever went away without using any medications; and other symptoms have improved, while specifically noting that losses of taste or smell alone are not expected to prevent someone from leaving isolation." Under the "test-based" resolution, the person "must return at least two consecutive negative PCR tests from samples taken at least 24 hours apart." Any player determined to have a new positive case from testing "will not be allowed to participate in any exercise training for at least 10 days from either the positive test or the resolution of symptoms, if they have any." Once a player has waited that minimum of 10 days, they then "must spend two days working out by themselves, not interacting with anyone or participating in any team activities" (ESPN.com, 11/28).
GRADUAL RAMP UP: In L.A., Andrew Greif noted training camp officially begins tomorrow, but the "first full team practice will not take place for several days." Players "can choose to begin individual workouts" either tomorrow or Thursday, and the workouts "cannot include more than four players and four coaches at one time." During the first five days of training camp, "no more than two players and two staff members will be allowed inside the weight room at the same time, with everyone required to wear a mask." The earliest a team "may require group training, and thus hold a full practice, is Friday -- but only if every player has agreed to participate in individual workouts" starting tomorrow. More likely is that "many teams will not be permitted to hold group training until Dec. 6" (L.A. TIMES, 11/29).
MASKS AND SEPARATION: YAHOO SPORTS' Jack Baer noted from the "moments they step out of their car, players will be expected to wear facemasks at all times when at a team facility, except during workouts and practices." Coaches and training staff "must wear their masks even during practice, with the guide specifically saying coaches may not pull down their masks to yell at players." All teams will "designate up to 45 people as their Tier 1 group, including players, coaches, training staff and more." That group will be "prohibited from accessing any areas used for business operations (e.g. conference rooms) and will not be allowed to interact in person with Tier 3 individuals like facility operations personnel." Traveling parties are "limited to 45 people" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 11/28).
ROAD TRIPS A CAUSE FOR CONCERN: THE ATHLETIC's Amick & Charania noted a "daunting challenge when it comes to minimizing infections" will be "hotels on the road." The NBA's inclusion of a traveling-party limit "underscores the fact it will be really hard to avoid some serious spread among the league’s players and staff." For example, "what do you do when a non-NBA person follows you onto the hotel elevator where so much oxygen is shared in that small space, or when a player grows tired of all the restrictions and wanders down the street for a bite to eat?" Also, "can players use the hotel gym or the gift shop?" They "did their best to address those sorts of issues, but this is an extremely tall task" (THEATHLETIC.com, 11/28).
MID-SEASON BUFFER: In Boston, Brian Robb noted the NBA regular-season schedule is "expected to be released in the next two weeks, with the league only releasing the first half of the schedule before a scheduled week-long break." The "expectation would be that canceled games (due to potential team COVID outbreaks) would be made up during the scheduled break, allowing the league some flexibility" (BOSTON SPORTS JOURNAL, 11/28). In Chicago, Mike McGraw wrote of a non-bubble season, "Needless to say, this will be a challenge." Basketball is a "high-energy, close contact sport." McGraw: "You wonder why the NBA didn't plan for a shorter season, then try to come back with a regularly-scheduled 2021-22 campaign, ideally with fans in the seats" (Chicago DAILY HERALD, 11/28).
