Can Chasing the Dog Around Help Josh Richardson Stay In Shape?

It was all good three weeks ago for Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard, Josh Richardson. The 26-year-old veteran was finally returning to the court after missing multiple games with a concussion. The first-year Sixer managed to check in for 30 minutes against the Detroit Pistons on March 11th after missing three-straight games.

The often-injured guard was looking forward to being able to help his team out while on the court as the Sixers were looking playoff-bound. However, the coronavirus pandemic changed everything on that unforgettable night in South Philly.

Not even a half-hour after the Sixers took down the Pistons; the NBA was suspended. The following afternoon, it was determined the league would go on a 30-day hiatus with hopes to return sometime in April. At first, the association was considering allowing teams to practice during the downtime.

But at this point, an April return is out of the question, and teams aren't even allowed to open their practice facilities for players no matter what. It's unclear how long that rule will last, but for the time being, players are forbidden from working out anywhere other than their own homes. And that includes apartment complex gyms as well.

That kind of rule is quite unfortunate for a good chunk of 76ers players. Considering there's a handful of players who reside in condominiums and apartments in Philadelphia or New Jersey, there isn't a ton of space to get an NBA productive workout.

Sixers' starting guard Josh Richardson is currently dealing with that hapless predicament as he doesn't reside in a single home with a gym to work out. Therefore, he has to find other ways to stay productive, so if/when the NBA returns, the first-year Sixer is in shape and ready to compete at a high level.

Without a gym to have access to, Richardson is slightly disappointed. Fortunately, he has a rooftop that's big enough for him to put together some valuable workouts. "The roof has kind of been the spot," Richardson told Shams Charania of The Athletic. "You know, I go up there. . . and there's space so I can get some agility work in."

And by agility work, Richardson means chasing his dog around the rooftop since his resources are limited at the moment. In addition to his chases, Richardson has been focusing on a lot of bodywork so he can stay "limber" during the extended break.

"Squats, bodyweight squats, bodyweight lunges -- simple stuff," Richardson explained. "I don't really have dumbells and weights and stuff here, so that's all I really got." While Richardson's situation is complicated, he hasn't seen a reason to argue against the strict rules the NBA has set in place for now. In fact, J-Rich believes the rules "make perfect sense."

While having access to a gym during the hiatus would be an ideal scenario, the Sixers veteran believes that the aspect of keeping players safe is far more important at this time. As of now, there's no word on when the NBA will return to action. There's hope that a late June, early July return will take place. At this moment, though, it's too early to guess.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_