Hoops junkies rejoice. NBA teams begin training camp this week. Although COVID-19 persists across the globe, Adam Silver and the league office plan to conduct business as usual this upcoming season. Players will travel and play in their home cities without a bubble. The league’s plan to mitigate risks was forwarded to franchises over the weekend.
The 134 page report details precautions similar to those used during the resumption of the 2020 NBA season in Orlando, Florida. These are the continuations between the bubble and upcoming operations for the 2020-21 season.
Returning to Play From Positive Covid Tests
Testing follows a similar routine to the Bubble. Players will undergo daily vital and temperature screenings upon entry to facilities. In the event of a positive test, the league mandates two sets of codes before players may resume play. These are ‘time-based’ and ‘test-based’ scenarios.
ESPN’s Tim Bontempts broke down the process for a successful ‘time-based’ procedure.
“Under the time-based resolution, the infected person would have to either have gone at least 10 days since the date of their first positive test or the onset of any symptoms, if they’ve had any; gone at least 24 hours since their fever went away without using any medications; and other symptoms have improved, while specifically noting that losses of taste or smell alone are not expected to prevent someone from leaving isolation.”
Tim Bontempts via NBA Outlines Covid-19 Safety Protocols in 134 Page Guide
To complete a ‘test-based’ scenario, players must report two negative PCR test samples separated by at least 24 hours. This is slightly less intense to the Bubble. In Orlando, players would submit three negative samples before returning to team activities.
Isolation Housing
A Bubble allows safety from the dangers of infection in society. The upcoming season will be far from an oasis. But the league and Player’s Association waived an interesting wrinkle in the CBA.
Per guidelines, players who test positive will be arranged in apartments to quarantine. Franchises are not permitted to house players because it circumvents the salary cap. This unique circumstance mirrors the resorts of Disney World facilities, which monitor a player’s recovery.
Increasing Team Personnel
The NBA is raising the number of personnel to travel during road trips. Team employees were capped at 37 during the Bubble, while this season 45 members of a franchise will accompany their organizations. It must be noted that league policy increased staffing for playoff teams. It is not clear at this moment how that figure may change over the course of the season.
Forecasting Possible Closure Due to Covid
Just like the Bubble, league policy does not explicitly state the precise conditions for a closure of play. The policy states:
“The occurrence of independent cases or a small or otherwise expected number of COVID-19 cases will not require a decision to suspend or cancel the 2020-21 season.”
Per upcoming NBA health and safety guidelines.
The Bubble guidelines were equally vague.
“The occurrence of a small or otherwise expected number of COVID-19 cases will not require a decision to suspend or cancel the resumption [of the 2020 season].”
NBA Bubble health and safety guidelines.
It appears that the NBA reserves power to suspend or cancel the upcoming season at the commissioner’s discretion.
Snitch Hotline
Unfortunately, and not to name any names, there are no plans to enact another snitch hotline.
Okay – here’s looking at you, Chris Paul. Is this clip the work of a genius competitor, or is he plain snitching?
Let’s all hope the upcoming NBA season goes as well (and as safe!) as the Bubble.
Follow @KyleEdwords and @BellyUpSports for more insight ahead of the 2020-21 NBA season! And check out this recent piece exploring an upcoming make-or-break campaign for the Milwaukee Bucks.
