The NBA will restart its season on July 30 after being on hold for nearly five months due to the coronavirus pandemic. On Tuesday night, the NBA sent teams a 113-page rulebook regarding the resumption of the season.
The NBA season will resume at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla. Teams will arrive in Florida on July 7, 8, or 9. Everyone must wear a mask when possible and follow social distancing policies. Everyone will be tested daily for coronavirus.
Teams can bring up to 35 people sorted into six tiers of personnel. Tier 1 will include players, coaches, health staff, equipment managers, and referees. Tier 2 will feature team security, front office personnel, team communications staff, and select media members. The rest of the tiers include team owners, catering staff, broadcast media, and housekeepers.
The NBA will use three arenas for games during the seeding portion. Teams will be housed in three hotels and can only shower at the hotel. Failure to follow the full protocols could result in a warning, fine, suspension or dismissal from the campus, according to Sopan Deb and Scott Cacciola of the New York Times.
Players who don’t want to play because of health reasons or social justice issues don’t have to report with their team and won’t be disciplined, according to Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press. They would lose salary for the games they miss, however.
There will also be an anonymous hotline for people to call to safely report violations of any protocols.
