Utah Jazz Players May Be Able To Return To Practice Facility Next Week

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – NBA players may soon be able to return to work according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. In a tweet Saturday the NBA insider said that teams in cities with looser stay-at-home restrictions may be allowed to return to practice facilities as soon as May 1.

Though organizations will still be prevented from holding full team practices, players on the roster will be able to utilize practice facilities to resume their condition while the league is sidelined by the coronavirus pandemic.

The state of Utah is expected to begin loosening stay-at-home restrictions next week which should pave the way for Jazz players who have remained in the state to return to the team’s facilities by next weekend.

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

One major hurdle for the NBA returning to play has been the unequal resources its sidelined players have had access too. As many of the league’s players rent apartment complexes during the season, few have access to private gyms or even basketball hoops, leaving a high percentage of players unable to shoot a basketball, much less simulate a five-on-five game.

I am still reviewing recommendations from the Public Health and Economic Emergency Commission to transition Utah to an Orange phase. Good trends in data show that we could make that transition as early as the end of next week. pic.twitter.com/AxrhSUD9OL

— Gov. Gary Herbert (@GovHerbert) April 24, 2020

As a result, the league has toyed with the idea of a 25-day return to action plan that allows teams to hold a mini training camp before returning to competitive action.

Allowing players back into team facilities could shorten that time should the league decide it was safe to finish the 2019-20 season.

Behind the backboard ftw!#TeamMike | @espn pic.twitter.com/U2Q4drwVWe

— utahjazz (@utahjazz) April 17, 2020

As it stands, several Jazz players have left the state since the NBA shuttered its doors. All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell traveled back home to be closer to family after testing positive for the coronavirus. Jordan Clarkson returned to his California during the hiatus, while Mike Conley traveled to his Ohio home which features his own personal indoor basketball training facility.