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The NBA is expected to take a look at medical records of team personnel before basketball returns on July 31, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe reported Wednesday. Coaches and staff will submit records to a team of physicians who will review them. After that, they will be able to assess whether or not it’s safe for that person to operate on the sideline during games and while in the bubble in Orlando. With the coronavirus still prevalent, the NBA wants to make sure everyone is healthy and not at risk of illness.
The NBA is expected to resume play in Orlando at Disney World on July 31 with 22 teams involved. That’s a lot of staff and players to monitor and it’s important that the guidelines for safety are clear. It is unclear if the panel will have authority to prohibit anyone from going to Orlando or not being present on the sidelines. Per Woj and Lowe, there is some concern over this.
There are three NBA coaches over the age of 65 that may be at a higher risk. This list includes Alvin Gentry of the New Orleans Pelicans, Mike D’Antoni of the Houston Rockets and Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs. Pop is the oldest at 71, while Gentry and D’Antoni are 65 and 69, respectively.