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The NBA is targeting May 8 as the earliest date team practice facilities could reopen in markets where stay-at-home restrictions to non-essential businesses have eased, the league announced Monday.
Under new potential rules, up to four players would be allowed to workout individually at team facilities at one time. Group activity would not be allowed, and coaches would be prohibited from attending workouts. Furthermore, players would not be allowed to use non-team facilities, such as public gyms.
The league also sent additional restrictions directly to its teams, league sources told The Athletic's Shams Charania. Players will be required to wear face masks while at team facilities - except while engaged in physical activity; team staff will be required to wear gloves. All parties will reportedly be required to remain at least 12 feet apart from each other.
Additionally, each team is required to name a senior executive its "facility hygiene officer," Charania reports.
There had been strong opposition to the league initially floating the possibility of facilities reopening as early as May 1, team officials told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Player safety was reportedly the predominant concern.
Despite eased restrictions in the state of Georgia, the Atlanta Hawks will not reopen team facilities when first able.
“We are going to wait and see what happens in the state over the (next) couple of weeks,” Hawks president Travis Schlenk told Wojnarowski.
