Report: NBA Discussing Plan to Allow Limited Number of Players Family Members at Games

The NBA and the NBPA are developing a plan to allow a limited number of family members to accompany players inside the league's campus environment if, as increasingly expected, the season resumes, according to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne and Adrian Wojnarowski. 

Per ESPN, the league is talking about potentially allowing family to arrive at the league's expected Orlando, Fla. Walt Disney Resort site once an "initial wave of teams are eliminated" from play. Teams have also grown "increasingly skeptical" of the NBA bringing back all 30 teams, according to ESPN.

While the exact timetable regarding the league's restart is still unclear, The Athletic's Shams Charania reported that current projections have in-market training camps set to occur in July before additional workouts in Orlando, which would lead up to play resuming in late July and early August.

The Athletic also reports that the league is working on a multi-phase medical, safety protocol to put in place. Per ESPN, family members would be subjected to the same safety and testing protocols as everyone else living in the NBA's campus environment. 

NBA spokesperson Mike Bass said this weekend that the league has begun "exploratory conversations" with the Walt Disney Corporation about having games take place at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

The NBA's Board of Governors meeting on Friday is reportedly not expected to conclude with a decision on a finalized return-to-play plan.

On Tuesday, the NHL became the first major men's pro sports league to announce a return-to-play plan. The league's plans include holding 24-team playoff in two hub cities with games to begin when safe this summer, and the draft lottery taking place on June 26.

Among other ideas, the NBA is weighing a format that similarly includes 20-to-24 teams.