NBA gives go signal to players for training but on a limited basis

Commissioner Adam Silver has allowed players to resume practices but with restrictions (usatoday.com)

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

The NBA will be allowing its players to return to their practice facilities only if their local governments will lift the stay-at-home rule amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since March, NBA commissioner Adam Silver has banned all basketball activities including team practices as one of the safety measures in combatting the pandemic.

In line with the league’s go signal in allowing all the teams to conduct practices, it was emphasized that group practices will still be prohibited and only individual sessions will be allowed.

The decision of whether to allow team practices will still depend on commissioner Silver and the locality where the team is based.

For the teams where their respective local governments still haven’t lifted their stay-at-home rule, the NBA will try to work on finding an alternative arrangement.

However, commissioner Silver explained that the resumption of NBA practices would not mean that they are planning for a quick comeback of their games.

Silver added that they are still a long way from deciding on the league’s comeback as they needed to consider many things not only regarding the players, coaches, NBA employees, but most importantly the status of the NBA community and its fans.