Orlando Magic plan to reopen practice facility Friday

The Orlando Magic appear set to reopen their practice facility Friday with some severe NBA guidelines as the league begins to get moving again.

The Orlando Magic appear set to reopen their practice facility on Friday under the league’s guidelines as Florida and many states around the country begin reopening their economies and businesses in a limited fashion.

Magic CEO Alex Martins said in an Orange County task force workgroup call the team plans to reopen its practice facility Friday, the earliest the league will allow. Additionally, he said the NBA is studying several models to finish the season and they plan to get in as much of the season as possible.

The DeVos family is one of the longest-running ownership groups in the NBA. Martins has previously been a part of several high-level committees within the NBA’s ownership group as the representative for the team. He is likely as well-positioned as anyone to comment on the NBA’s restarting plans.

All of this seems to track what anyone has said about the NBA’s potential return. The league is doing all it can to return, but they are not planning any return until testing is widespread and they can ensure their league will not get reinfected.

But Friday’s reopening of training facilities is at least a small step.

Evan Fournier was among the first to enter the practice facility. He posted a photo to his Instagram story inside the AdventHealth Practice Facility with the caption “Missed you.”

A Magic representative told Orlando Magic Daily the NBA gave Evan Fournier permission to enter the facility early for injury rehabilitation purposes. Fournier missed the last three games before the season went on hiatus with an elbow injury.

Other players will surely take advantage of the access to the practice facility once it is open again. But they will have to do so under strict NBA guidelines.

Under the NBA’s guidelines, players will be limited to one basket and individual workouts. No head or assistant coaches — just so-called “behind-the-bench coaches” — will be able to work with players. And only four players will be allowed in the facility at any one time.

Additionally, Martins seems to suggest everyone will have to wear masks around the players (including players except when they are working out).

A memo obtained by The Athletic suggests there are other checks that will also be in place — including a temperature and symptom check before team employees and players come into the building.

Spalding even reportedly sent each team instructions on how to disinfect and clean basketballs properly. The league is taking everything very seriously.

Everything is still obviously in flux. The team and the league are still mapping a safe way forward. But things are starting to move and Magic players, at least, will be able to get back to something resembling basketball soon.