The NBA sent a memo to the teams explaining its agreement with the NBPA for the health and safety protocols that will be in effect during the All-Star Weekend break for players participating in the festivities and also for those who will not. .
The memo, which was obtained by ESPN, stipulates that players participating in All-Star Weekend are allowed to travel only to their team’s away game before heading to Atlanta. Additionally, those traveling to or from Atlanta will do so by private NBA transportation. Each player must have a negative PCR test on March 6 or 7 before participating in any of the All-Star festivities and all will be allowed to be accompanied by a “limited” number of close family or friends, although all will have to comply with the same test and travel protocols as the players.
During their stay in Atlanta, players and any guests accompanying them will only be allowed to be in the hotel or arena.
Players who do not participate in the All-Star Weekend can stay in the cities where they play or travel only within the United States, but if they do travel, they are prohibited from staying in public accommodations such as hotels. In addition, the current rules for large gatherings, for example, in closed spaces with more than 15 people, are in force and those who visit or travel with players during the break will have to undergo tests.
Players staying in their team’s cities can train or follow up with rehab at their club’s practice facilities, while traveling players can have individual practice sessions at private sites that are approved by the league.
Meanwhile, each player, whether or not they go to Atlanta, will have to undergo daily tests during the break, which is scheduled for March 5-10.
The memo also notes that all players will have to rejoin their teams, in or away from club towns, two days before the first scheduled game after the break.
In addition, in the first week after the All-Star break, teams will be required to undergo the game-day test-taking regime daily, which includes two PCR tests and one rapid test, regardless of whether the clubs have a game or not. .
Every time the NBA has returned from a country, in June, before the start of the bubble and in November, before the start of training camp, there has been a considerable increase in positive cases for COVID-19 among players.
– .
