Report: Raptors to Travel Directly to Florida for Phase I of NBA Return

While the NBA has reportedly informed players to return to their team's home market by June 22 to begin mandatory testing on June 23, the Toronto Raptors will travel directly to Naples, Florida and use the Alico Arena at Florida Gulf Coast University as their practice facility, according to an NBPA-issued manual, as obtained by The Athletic's Shams Charania. 

In traveling directly to Florida, the Raptors, the lone NBA team to play outside of the United States, are the only team in the league reporting straight to Florida. 

According to The Athletic, the NBPA informed players on Tuesday that, "It is critical that every player understand that he has the right to choose not to return to play. Any player who exercises this right will not be disciplined."

Per the memo obtained by The Athletic, a player who chooses not to play will have his compensation reduced by 1/92.6 for each game missed, up to a cap of 14 games even his team plays more than 14 games in Orlando. Non-participating players who are either "excused" or "protected" will not face salary reductions. 

Phase I of the NBA's return commenced June 12 and includes individual, voluntary workouts at team facilities. Phase II, which begins June 23, consists of mandatory COVID-19 testing, which will be ongoing throughout the remaining phases. By July 1, the start of Phase III, individual workouts for participating players are mandatory. Group workouts, however, will still be prohibited and no more than eight players will be allowed in a team facility at one time. 

NBA teams will travel to Walt Disney World, the site of the NBA's campus environment, between July 7 and 9, to mark the beginning of Phase IV. Phase V, beginning on July 22, allows teams to play scrimmage games against each other and allows socialization between players and staff at other on-campus hotels. Phase VI, beginning on July 30, marks the resumption of the 2020 NBA season.