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Portland Trail Blazers G CJ McCollum spoke out Thursday about his concern over teams being allowed to return to practice facilities on May 8, Yahoo Sports’ Chris B. Haynes reported. Here’s McCollum’s full quote via Yahoo:
“I am worried like the rest of the world, but I like that it is optional and I’m pleased with the caution, structure and measures the Blazers organization has put in place to ensure the safest environment possible for all parties involved,” McCollum said. “I get the measures [the league is] taking, but you have to think at some point when there are drastic measures that need to be taken, ‘Is it really worth it?’ It’s either safe or it’s not.
“ … And let’s just be honest, man, it’s not like it will be the first time players got gym access outside of the team’s facilities. Some people have been working out, if we’re being honest.”
The Trail Blazers are among a few teams ready to open facilities on Friday because their stay-at-home mandates have become less restrictive. McCollum isn’t sold that it’s safe for players to return to practice. He says that players have access to gyms and have likely be working out in some capacity during the break, which has spanned over two months now.
While McCollum is hesitant to go back to practice, the report says that the Blazers guard will be present on Saturday to scope out the place. This may just be McCollum seeing how things run and then bolting if it feels unsafe. We’ll see how things go this weekend.