Portland Trail Blazers COVID-19 outbreak delays start of training camp
On Sunday, the Portland Trail Blazers announced they closed their team facilities due to three positive COVID-19 tests in the last four days.
It was starting to look too good to be true. With under three weeks until the start of the 2020-21 NBA season, training camps around the league are opening. Unfortunately, the Portland Trail Blazers will have to wait a little while longer to get going.
Sunday afternoon, the Portland Trail Blazers were due to open camp. Instead, President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey announced that the team closed their practice facility. Over the previous four days, the Trail Blazers had three positive COVID-19 tests. It is unknown who tested positive or even if it was players, coaches, or support staff.
League-wide coronavirus testing started last week so teams would be ready to start camp on time. The late positive tests will put Portland behind the rest of the NBA in terms of preparation. Olshey didn’t say how long the facility will be closed for, just that they were doing a deep cleaning.
There is no word if the Portland Trail Blazers would practice someplace else or even when they could practice. The three positive tests may also force Portland to cancel Friday’s preseason game with Sacramento. One thing is for sure testing will continue to make sure the Blazers have contained this outbreak.
The NBA is taking coronavirus precautions very seriously. According to CBS Sports. Teams were informed on Saturday that if they didn’t follow league safety protocols, they were subject to Consequences. That could take the form of fines, forfeiture of games, and possibly losing draft picks.
"Over the past four days, we have had three positive COVID test results within our organization. Out of an abundance of caution, having completed contact tracing, we are closing our practice facility today for deep cleaning while we run confirmatory tests” -Neil Olshey
— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) December 6, 2020
So far, 48 players have tested positive, according to the NBA. That probably isn’t enough to delay opening the season.