Houston Rockets: What a new world of training could look like

The NBA is expected to allow the reopening of NBA training facilities next week so what will things look like for the Houston Rockets? Let’s take a dive.

The Houston Rockets are still waiting on a final verdict on if they’ll ever have an opportunity to finish up the 2019-20 season where their last action was a 117-111 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves back March 11.

Some two months later, the NBA seems to be not anywhere closer to a decision than they were when things went into a pause in the first place. People across the globe are doing their utmost to stay at home in order to save lives and that’s precisely the concern at hand because that carries higher precedence than just a game.

People are losing their lives to a deadly pandemic so the biggest concern is just to make sure everything is being done to ensure that all weapons that are needed to fight this war are in place.

If the NBA were to resume, it would certainly take those key weapons away. I mean it by the way of testing, which is something that would be needed in a vast manner in order to ensure that the players, staff and all the interconnections of their daily operations a successful one.

Testing is still something that’s not on par of where it needs to be as we should be in a situation where that anybody that needs a test for this virus, should be able to get it and that’s simply not the case in all 50 states of this great union.

It’s a patchwork of bureaucracy that’s state-by-state that makes things all come down to the haves and the have-nots.

I’m positive that measures are being taken to prevent this but there’s still a long way to go.

With the massive amount of resources the NBA has, there would be no problem enlisting a contractor to distribute the tests, which would certainly number in the tens of thousands to ensure to completion to the season happens.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver knows this and he has publicly said that he doesn’t want to take away tests from those who need it the most. He’s right — it would be a bad look for the NBA and certainly, patrons would remember that when things actually do get going once again.

So until then, they must wait until a viable solution is devised to start things back up. We may hear something this month, we may not but the clock is ticking and eventually, that will be a problem Silver will have to face head-on.

But while the wait continues, the NBA does plan to open up team facilities starting May 8 as states decide the best way to restart their economies. Texas has already lifted the stay-at-home order effective May 1 and there has been a restart — albeit limited — of the world’s 10th-largest economy.

It will be a slow, methodical process with some hitches but states are grappling with a serious problem of tackling a health and economic problem at the same time, feeling that they are confident to do both with those who are lifting restrictions.

Since gyms have not been giving the green light in Texas at this time, it may be later than sooner when players will be able to come workout at 1510 Polk.

But what will it look like for the Houston Rockets?

The Chron’s Jonathan Feigen is reporting that the NBA guidelines call for no more than four players in

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the facility at a time, the coaching staff cannot be present and no full practice or scrimmages are permitted, just individual workouts.

They would also be forbidden from using public gym facilities as well. Any player returning back to Houston from somewhere else would have to self-quarantine for an unspecified amount of time before entering facilities. Feigen also mentions that saunas, cold tubs and the equipment would remain inaccessible to the players.

They’ll have to enter the building on their own, 12 feet away from the nearest person and continuously wearing a mask unless they’re working out.

Sounds like a different world to you? Well, that’s the reality until the vaccine is readily available and we can all get back to our normal, however, that’s going to look like in the not-so-distant future.

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James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Robert Covington, Eric Gordon, Danuel House, Ben McLemore as well as the rest of the supporting cast…I’m sure we’ll all be seeing you soon but patience is an important virtue, especially during these trying and uncertain times.

We’ll get there Houston Rockets’ fans…

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