The NBA will shut down all team training facilities to players and the staff starting on Friday, hoping to mitigate the coronavirus outbreak, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. Teams had encouraged the idea of shuttering facilities for the immediate future, but that proposition was too gaudy for how dire this pandemic has been around the world.
Franchises were hopeful players could keep in shape by making use of the facilities, but considering what is expected to be a multi-month hiatus, this was an inevitable move that the league just had to make.
Franchises like the Golden State Warriors had already ceased operations completely after Monday, closing down the facilities and sending everyone home to comply with San Francisco’s quarantine edict.
The league has also informed teams that players are allowed to travel out of market, but the preference remains that they stay in cities they play, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Commissioner Adam Silver had already made this recommendation the past week, but now that teams are cognizant that this will be a long suspension, Silver refreshed it once more. Several players have remained in their respective markets, but some have chosen to go back to their hometowns, expecting a long layoff.
However, the league will not allow travel outside of the United States — something that might make it difficult for international players hoping to return to their home soil.
Players have been strongly encouraged to be diligent about their hygiene and who they come in contact with during this indefinite suspension, leaving everyone’s future in relative limbo.
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