While the NBA brainstorms possible scenarios on how to resume the 2019-20 season, some league officials are concerned about putting older team employees, including coaches, at risk.
In an ESPN report by Baxter Holmes, some NBA general managers expressed uneasiness about having older staffers who may be more susceptible to contracting COVID-19 on hand for games, even those with only essential personnel present.
Adults over 65 years old are at a higher risk of serious or fatal illness from COVID-19, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Houston Rockets' Mike D'Antoni (68) and the San Antonio Spurs' Gregg Popovich (71) are current head coaches who fall under the classification.
“Based on all the information that we have today, probably people over 60 with preexisting conditions can't go, for sure, no matter what their titles are,” another general manager said. “Whether it's a father of the star player or whether it's the general manager of the team, they can't go there.”
One of the issues moving forward will be determining which employees are deemed essential.
“We're going to have to get comfortable with the fact that there are going to be some people getting their feelings hurt that they're not essential, and that's OK,” one GM said.
“The one area you don't want to skimp on is the medical. The coaching part of it, you could probably get by with a head coach, that's it,” said a GM.
According to ESPN, one solution for determining essential staff is tied to the “traveling party.” Multiple general managers reportedly said their traveling parties typically consist of 40 to 50 people—possibly more during the postseason.
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