NBA agrees to stricter protocols in an attempt to avoid shutdown

In an attempt to avoid a possible shutdown, the NBA agrees to stricter protocols

Over the last couple of weeks, there has been a silent issue that many fans and those around the league didn’t really want to address. However, as the COVID-19 cases around the league continue to grow, there’s an issue that continues to grow that could no longer be ignored.

Despite strong protocols in place (at least in the eyes of the NBA and the NBAPA), the league has been bitten by a spread of the virus. It’s gotten so bad over the course of the last two weeks that we’ve seen teams unable to field eight players, thus opening the door for multiple postponements.

Over the last few days, the league has already had to postpone five games and that number is expected to grow in the next week or so. Because of this current situation, the NBA and NBAPA were forced to meet to try and adjust protocol in an attempt to avoid a possible shutdown or pause of the season.

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According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, here are a few of the new reported protocols:

"Among protocol changes now agreed upon: NBA players can no longer interact with non-team guests at road hotels, sources tell ESPN. Players were allowed to have guests in rooms, but that is no longer the case.…At home, players and team staff must remain at residence except to attend team-related activities at facility orarena, exercise outside, pe…For minimum of next two weeks, pre-game meetings in locker rooms are limited to 10 minutes — with masks on, sources tell ESPN. All other meetings with players and team staff must be on the court, or a larger space that allows for 6-feet of social distancing.…Any person who regularly visits the inside the home of a team staff member or player for professional purposes must undergo Covid testing twice per week…League’s mandating increased mask wearing for players in games, except for “cool down chairs” arranged at least 12 feet from bench and 6 feet apart. Players can go there immediately after leaving court during game, but must return to regular seat on bench wearing a mask.rform essential activities or the occurrence of extraordinary circumstances. On road, players and staff can’t leave hotel — except for team activities or emergencies, sources tell ESPN. No more list of approved restaurants."

I’m sure there will be a more detailed look at the new protocols set in place and possibly others that haven’t been initially reported by Woj, but this gives fans and reporters a good sense of what the league will be trying to implement over the course of the next two weeks.

It’s not great to think of what could happen next should these stricter protocols not help any, but you’d have to think that at some point a potential hiatus could be on the table for the league. It likely wouldn’t be as lengthy as the one we saw during last season, which lasted roughly four months, but it would certainly throw a wrench in the set schedule for the 2020-21 NBA season.

The NBA is certainly at a bit of a crossroad right now. The hope is that these stricter protocols, in addition to a higher volume of the distribution of the vaccine, will help curve the potential problem that is rising for the league. That’s no guarantee, though.