The NBA hasn’t crossed the finish line just yet.
Although it sure seems like basketball is coming, with the NBA board of governors on Thursday voting 29-1 to approve a 22-team format to restart the 2019-20 season, there still are logistics to work out.
For one, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Thursday night during an interview with TNT that “certain coaches” might not be able to be on the bench when play resumes “in order to protect them.”
People 65 years and older are believed to be at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and multiple NBA coaches fall under that umbrella.
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich is 71, while Houston Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni is 68 and New Orleans Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry is 65.
Asked Mike D'Antoni yesterday about possibility of this older group of NBA coaches being required to wear masks on bench: "I am sure they want to keep everyone safe, but to start singling people out with more risk, well, I would hope they wouldn’t want to get into that.” https://t.co/NOmG3jhoo6
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 5, 2020
On possibility of 65-year-old plus coaches wearing masks in games, D'Antoni and Alvin Gentry told ESPN they'd understand if every coach was required to do so, but didn't believe only they should be made to do so. Silver suggested on TNT those coaches may not be on bench at all.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 5, 2020
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NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski explained Thursday night these are the types of “complex issues” that await the league’s return in Orlando, Fla. And while such issues might not jeopardize the NBA’s return altogether, they’re certainly at the forefront of discussions, especially in wake of Silver’s comment.
LeGarie agreed with his coaches: Let's let every coach follow the same safety protocol, if that includes masks and/or social distancing. For example, term "stigma" referred to how treating those coaches differently than their peers could impact perceptions of potential employers. https://t.co/rynT6c0GxC
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 5, 2020
Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle, 60, who also serves as the president of the NBA Coaches Association, told Wojnarowski he spoke with Silver on Thursday night.
“I just spoke to Adam Silver and he admitted that he jumped the gun with his statement to TNT,” Carlisle said, per Wojnarowski. “The health and safety of our coaches is first and foremost. It’s entirely possible that an NBA coach in his 60’s or 70’s could be healthier than someone in their 30’s or 40’s. The conversation should never be solely about a person’s age. Adam assured me that we would work through this together to help determine what is both safe and fair for all of our coaches.”
If it's late, it's must be @notthefakeSVP: On the possibility of limitations in Orlando for older coaches and the Blazers 'no' vote. pic.twitter.com/kepYhkcF4m
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 5, 2020
The NBA seemingly is on the right path, with the season expected to resume July 31. But a few more hurdles — including important barriers related to health and safety — remain before the dream becomes a reality.
