Sixers monitoring NBA teams that are reopening facilities. Their G League arena in Delaware could be an option.
The Cavaliers, Blazers and Nuggets will return to their practice courts Friday. The 76ers could practice in Delaware. “We will definitely make sure our players are not at a disadvantage," Brand said.
NBA practice facilities will reopen for individual on-court workouts Friday in some cities, but the 76ers are not among the teams permitted to unlock their gym doors.
Only teams in cities and states in which local governments have eased restrictions on facilities will be allowed to open. The Cleveland Cavaliers, Portland Trail Blazers, and Denver Nuggets are the only teams planning to open their practice facilities Friday.
The Sixers will monitor those teams and others with clearances that intend to open in the near future.
“On my weekly calls with the NBA and my peers around the league, we talk and strategize about what the time might look like so we can keep the health and safety of our players at the forefront,” general manager Elton Brand said Thursday. “We are monitoring the situation closely.”
The Sixers practice in Camden, and New Jersey’s near-lockdown is expected to remain in place for weeks. The state has reopened only state parks and golf courses. In addition to monitoring other teams and states, Brand is paying close attention to what’s happening in New Jersey.
Philadelphia and New Jersey could be among the last areas to loosen their mandates.
“We will definitely make sure our players are not at a disadvantage when the season starts,” Brand said Tuesday of individualized workouts. “We will look at access in New Jersey and Pennsylvania as they’re loosening the mandates. But also we have a great facility right in Wilmington, Del.”
The Sixers’ NBA G League team, the Delaware Blue Coats, compete at the 76ers Fieldhouse in Wilmington.
“I have backup plans ready,” Brand said.
Delaware’s stay-at-home order is in place through May 15. However, the state is allowing some small businesses to reopen as early as Friday.
The reopenings the NBA is allowing are for individual on-court workouts. No more than four players will be permitted at a facility at any time. The league sent memos to teams Wednesday, adding some allowances for assistant coaches and player-development personnel.
Head coaches are still prohibited from participating in any way.
There is some concern about the reopening in places where stay-at-home orders are lifted.
Trail Blazers shooting guard and former Lehigh standout C. J. McCollum voiced his concern to Yahoo Sports.
“I get the measure [the league is] taking,” he said, “but you have to think at some point when there are drastic measures that need to be taken, ‘Is it really worth it?’ It’s either safe or it’s not.”
McCollum said he intended to go to Portland’s practice facility Saturday to see if it’s possible to safely work out with so many restrictions.
“You can’t use certain stuff, can’t do certain stuff,” he said. “Now, they’re talking about you might have to be 12 feet away from your strength coach. How are you going to be 12 feet away from somebody?”
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban told Mark Followill and Brian Dameris on their 77 Minutes in Heaven Mavs podcast that he has no plans to open the team’s practice facility.
“The problem obviously is that because we can’t test people, then we can’t assure anybody’s safety, whether they’re basketball players or anybody else,” Cuban said. "Even though we can try to take all different kinds of precautions, it’s just not worth it – particularly when our guys are staying in, they’re going outside and shooting on outside hoops, and working out in various ways.
“So I just don’t think the risk is worth the reward.”
In Texas, the stay-at-home order expired April 30. State parks, retail stores, restaurants, movie theaters, museums, and libraries have reopened.
The league’s practice facilities have been closed since March 20. The next week the NBA opened up the facilities to players in need of essential treatment and rehabilitation during the hiatus.