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Lakers' Danny Green Details Practice Facility Protocols Amid COVID-19 Hiatus
May 20, 2020
Los Angeles Lakers guard Danny Green detailed the process of going into the team facility, which opened Saturday, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
He revealed as much on the Load Management podcast (h/t Gavin Evans of Complex), noting everyone is tested when they arrive, have to wear special flip-flops that are provided and must wear a mask unless they are a player who cannot breathe during a workout.
"I got tested before [entering], they do the swab," Green said. "They stick a Q-tip in your damn brain. Scramble it around. [After you test negative] you come in the facility, you have to wear your workout gear as you come in. The shoes that you have on, you have to take off at the door. They give you flip-flops at the front. You have to sanitize your hands, sanitize your phone, keys, etc."
He also revealed each player is given a schedule, so there is limited interaction with other people, and there's a limit on the time they are allowed on the court.
"You change into your basketball shoes," he said. "Then you have your time that they put on the clock, like 45 minutes or so. And then, once that time is up, you have five minutes to get out. You don't use the locker room. You can't shower there. You go to your car and then you go home."
Despite the additional steps, he said it is better to come to the team facilities than using private gyms because of the high standards in place, such as the quality of the floor and regulation three-point line.
There are still a number of hurdles to clear before the NBA can return to finish the 2019-20 season, which has been suspended since March 11, but opening team facilities is a step forward.
On Wednesday, Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic reported Orlando, Florida, is the "clear front-runner" for a centralized location for games to be played, in part because of the facilities and hotels in place at Disney World.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported Tuesday on Get Up that the NBA is targeting mid-June to have a decision in place regarding a potential comeback but will need to receive clearance from "health officials and the government."
These updates come after ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported last Tuesday that many who attended a Board of Governors call with commissioner Adam Silver left "feeling positive about momentum toward an NBA return to play this season."
Wojnarowski added the caveat that those involved with the league would have to be comfortable with the reality a positive COVID-19 test would not shut down the season again.
Green's Lakers would have an opportunity to win a championship if play does resume seeing how they have the best record in the Western Conference at 49-14.