Doc Rivers says opening Training Facilities gives Hope to Players

Doc Rivers is looking forward to having the training facilities open back up.

It took over two months, but NBA training facilities have finally started opening back up. Clippers head coach Doc Rivers looks at it as a sign of hope.

Rivers spoke with Rachel Nichols on "The Jump" to discuss the Clippers playoff chances, training facilities opening back up, and Michael Jordan.

"I think it does a couple of things," Rivers said. "For a month or six weeks, we kept saying 'hey, keep working, we’re going to have our season.' At some point you stop believing that. Now they’re actually on the floor working. I think this, more than anything, gives them hope.”

It almost became a moot point to say the NBA season was returning. Months had gone by without any actual traction, but now opening the facilities brings the first tangible step. Rivers understood though, that not everyone would be excited about returning. 

"I think it’s okay for anyone who is uncomfortable," Rivers said. "I hope they come forward and say they’re uncomfortable. I think that would be okay. I think we can still have the league, and our games, with a few people being uncomfortable."

Interestingly enough, the Clippers have a couple of coaching staff members that are at an at-risk age for COVID-19, Doc Rivers himself is 58 years old. Despite that, he remains confident in the league's decision to open facilities. Rivers believes the NBA wouldn't open things up, or have games, if the risks weren't mitigated.

While there still is no guarantee on whether the NBA season will return, at the very least, we have now have hope.