12:03pm: In order to participate in offseason group workouts, players will be have to be tested for COVID-19 every day and return a negative test each time, says ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter).
12:00pm: NBA players getting work in at their teams’ practice facilities will no longer be restricted to individual workouts, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who reports (via Twitter) that the league informed teams today they can now conduct group practices, workouts, and scrimmages.
Those group activities will be limited to a total of 10 players, Charania adds.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, teams have, for the most part, only been able to host players for one-on-zero workouts at their facilities since the spring. Of course, the teams that participated in the summer restart practiced and played games in the Walt Disney World bubble, and the eight teams left out of the restart got a two-week window for group activities last month. Otherwise though, only individual workouts have been permitted.
With the 2020/21 season expected to get underway in either December or January, it won’t be long before teams have to report back to training camps, so the league apparently wants to give some runway to clubs to begin group workouts before that point.
It’s not clear whether the NBA intends to alter its coronavirus-related protocols to account for today’s change. For most of the year, anyone entering a practice facility has been required to undergo a temperature check before entering the building and wear a mask when not engaged in physical activity.
This is good news. Considering how many think this is a weak draft. it’s best to get looks at players playing against real talent. Players who are bottom half of 1st rd. Can play themselves into lottery. Also helps team who have 2 or 3 players in mind to pick. One can play their way into pick. This is good news for teams and fans.