NBA agent believes players won't travel back to team facilities until they hear season is restarting
Some NBA teams have clearance to start opening practice facilities, but don’t expect every player to drop what they are doing so they can report. If one “high-profile agent” is to be believed, some players will be unwilling to travel to team facilities until they hear the season is starting again, according to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne.
That agent believes reopening practice facilities won’t be enough to encourage players to travel back to the state where their team plays.
"It took two to three weeks for everything to unwind when we shut down. It'll take at least that long for guys to get back to town. And they're not going to start flying back until they hear the league is starting up again."
One basketball executive agrees with that assessment, saying they would “be surprised if any of our players flew back into market for [the practice facility reopening]."
If true, that speculation could impact at least one of the league’s biggest star. Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic reportedly flew home to Slovenia after the NBA season was postponed. Once Doncic flies back to Texas, he’ll be required to self quarantine for two weeks before he’s allowed to start practicing. Players who fly in from out of state will have to meet those same requirements.
Given that it’s unclear how the league will handle its relaunch, some players might be skeptical about making that trip only to have things fall apart before any games are played. The league will hold a call with players Friday to discuss any questions or concerns players may have about practice facilities reopening. While some players are on board with the idea, others have reservations.
Reopening practice facilities is the first step toward the NBA resuming its season. While that will come as promising news to sports fans, the league has to navigate a number of potential hurdles before moving forward with actual games.
Once the NBA figures that out and the regular season becomes a stronger possibility, players will have more incentive to make the trip back.
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