Report: Only three NBA teams committed to reopening facilities on Friday
As of the afternoon of May 6, the NBA remains committed to allowing franchises to reopen team facilities to players, albeit under strict guidelines, on Friday amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The majority of clubs seem prepared and happy to wait things out a little longer.
On Wednesday, Jeff Zillgitt and Mark Medina of USA Today reported that only the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets and Portland Trail Blazers are currently planning to open facilities to players and other club personnel on May 8.
The Nuggets believe not all players will appear because some aren't in the state this week. Meanwhile, Zillgitt and Medina added the Cleveland Cavaliers could also open to players on Friday "as long as the NBA continues to approve that date."
Neither the Memphis Grizzlies nor Minnesota Timberwolves have announced their intentions.
The USA Today story came the same day ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported franchises have been "instructed" to not test asymptomatic players for the coronavirus before they enter facilities:
The problem with this, of course, is that it's known asymptomatic individuals can be carriers of the coronavirus.
On Tuesday, Orlando Magic CEO Alex Martins said the NBA is willing to finish the 2019-20 season that was suspended on March 11 in September, if necessary. The NBA and National Basketball Players Association haven't announced an official agreement for the completion of the campaign.
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