Mavs owner Mark Cuban sees too much risk in reopening practice facilities
Business mogul wants more testing to ensure safety of everyone involved
The NBA gave its approval for teams to reopen their practice facilities on a limited basis on Friday, but only three teams have confirmed they will. And Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is in no hurry for his team to join the list.
USA Today reported Thursday that the Cleveland Cavaliers, Portland Trail Blazers and Denver Nuggets will allow a small number of players in the building at one time starting Friday.
A spokesperson for the Toronto Raptors told CBC Sports the team wasn't "in a position to comment at the moment" on whether it would be opening its practice facility.
Cuban said Wednesday on The Athletic's "77 Minutes in Heaven" podcast that he isn't willing to put his players and others at risk, citing the lack of available testing.
"The problem obviously is that because we can't test people, then we can't assure everybody's safety, whether they're basketball players or anybody else," Cuban said. "Even though we can try to take all different kids of precautions, it's just not worth it — particularly when our guys are staying in shape and they're going outside and shooting on outdoor hoops and working out in various ways. So I just don't think the risk is worth the reward."
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—@mcubanThe NBA suspended play on March 11 after all-star centre Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz tested positive for the coronavirus. League officials have hoped to restart the season, and an NBA memo to teams said no more than four players could use that facility at one time beginning Friday.
Some teams are following their state's stay-at-home orders to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, while other teams are monitoring conditions in their area before making a decision.
The league and the National Basketball Players Association will hold a call for all players on Friday, ESPN reported Wednesday.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver and NBPA executive director Michele Roberts will run the call on which players will be allowed to ask any questions they have about the state of the league amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne.
