The NBA was the first sports league in the country to suspend the season due to the coronavirus pandemic. It’s still undetermined when or if the NBA will return to finish the 2019-2020 season, but if it does happen, all the teams and players could be heading to an interesting location. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the NBA is looking to resume the season at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Other sites are also being considered as the NBA continues to keep track of the pandemic.
“One possible playing ground for NBA if finishing season becomes safe for league and players: Walt Disney World Resort property in Orlando, sources tell [The Athletic] and [Stadium],” Charania wrote. “League has kept different scenarios in mind.” The NBA suspended the season on March 11 after Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert tested positive for coronavirus. It was reported the NBA would re-open team facilities in areas that aren’t under stay-at-home orders on May 1. However, that was pushed back one week.
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“Sources: Teams will be allowed to make facilities open to players on a voluntary basis for individual work, but larger group workouts will still be prohibited,” ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted. “In NBA markets that aren’t loosening restrictions, league plans to work w/ teams on other arrangements for players. As Georgia moves toward opening certain businesses — including gymnasiums — some players were asking their teams if they should consider traveling there to find a way to play. Organizations wants players in safe/clean team environments, not a fitness center in suburban Atlanta.”
With a few of the facilities on the way to re-opening, it doesn’t mean the NBA is on the way of coming back. Earlier this month, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said there are a lot of factors that come into play when it comes to playing basketball again. It’s very possible the 2020-21 season could be delayed if this current season returns.
“We are looking at all those things right now,” Silver said. “I’d say that in terms of bubble-like concepts, many of them have been proposed to us and we’ve only listened. We are not seriously engaged yet in that type of environment because I can’t answer what precisely would we need to see in order to feel that that environment provided the needed health and safety for our players and everyone involved.”
