Return-to-play plan in Florida approved
Older coaches Gentry, Popovich may not be on the bench at games
LOS ANGELES (AFP) – The NBA’s board of governors approved a return-to-play plan on Thursday, paving the way for the league to resume in Florida following a three-month coronavirus shutdown.
The NBA said a proposal put to the league’s board that will see 22 teams based at a single location had passed comfortably.
“We are in the equivalent of the first inning. We’ve got a long ways to go here,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver told American cable station TNT on Thursday night. “We have always been looking for a safe way to resume, knowing we are going to be living with this virus for a while.”
Twenty-nine teams voted in favor of the return-to-play plan, with Portland the lone vote against, according to reports.
Under the NBA’s proposals, the league would resume on July 31 with 22 teams based at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando to minimize the threat of COVID-19. Games will be played without spectators.
Playoffs would take place in August, with the NBA Finals set to be completed by October 12.
The league has also penciled in a provisional December 1 start date for the 2020-2021 season.
“The Board’s approval of the restart format is a necessary step toward resuming the NBA season,” Silver said.
“While the COVID-19 pandemic presents formidable challenges, we are hopeful of finishing the season in a safe and responsible manner based on strict protocols now being finalized with public health officials and medical experts.”
The NBA Players Association must sign off on the restart plan for it to take effect. The NBAPA is expected to vote on the plan during a conference call set for Friday.
Silver said there are still some complex issues to be decided, including how to ensure the safety of some of their older coaches. He indicated that “certain coaches” may not be on the bench at all. San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich is 71, and New Orleans Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry is 65.
Silver meanwhile referred to the protests that have erupted across the United States since the death of an unarmed black man in police custody in Minneapolis last week.
“We also recognize that as we prepare to resume play, our society is reeling from recent tragedies of racial violence and injustice, and we will continue to work closely with our teams and players to use our collective resources and influence to address these issues in very real and concrete ways,” Silver said.