There’s still a long way to go, but the NBA is stepping in a direction that points toward eventually returning.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, teams can begin opening up their facilities to their players starting May 1, but there’s one pretty big condition.
Beginning on May 1, the NBA is allowing teams to open their practice facilities to players in cities and states where local governments have eased stay-at-home orders, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 25, 2020
Obviously, that would keep some, if not most teams from opening up, though over the next week more and more states might begin easing their stay-at-home orders.
Given the unpredictable nature of COVID-19, the NBA, like every other league, has been patient with regards to formulating a return plan. They reportedly are amenable to playing into September, but a lot of this is out of their control.
However, this development can inspire at least a little optimism that the 2019-20 season will be completed.