LA Clippers Will Reopen Practice Facility Monday for Voluntary Workouts
LA Clippers basketball is slowly on its way back.
According to the LA Times' Andrew Greif, the team will reopen its practice facility Monday for "limited, voluntary, rehabilitation and physical wellness activities". NBA guidelines currently prohibit teams from holding group workouts and organized team activities, so this is the first step in working towards a return.
Additionally, a source confirmed to Sports Illustrated that every player has been tested for COVID-19, which helped prompt the decision to reopen training facilities.
This comes not long after it was reported that the team would not be reopening its facility Saturday and that it was unknown when it would be happening.
The Clippers will join several other teams in reopening, including the Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, Miami Heat and Boston Celtics, among several others.
LA has been particularly cautious amid the coronavirus pandemic, sending its players all the necessary equipment to complete team workouts and stay in shape. Doc Rivers also coined the term "Win the Wait" to help keep his players motivated while the league waits this out.
With stars like Kawhi Leonard and Paul George on the roster, the Clippers have established themselves as one of the favorites to win the NBA Finals this season — that is, if the Finals end up happening.
The NBA season has been suspended since March 11, and there's still no return date set in stone. The league must consider several options, including how much of the regular season should be played out, where the games will be played, how long the postseason will be, etc.
At the very least, this is a step in the right direction as the league looks to continue playing as soon as possible.
