A number of states across the country are looking to reopen their economies, and a part of that means that some professional sports teams will be allowed to return to practice facilities soon.
One such team is the Miami Heat, according to Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel.
“Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez said Friday the Miami Heat have clearance to return to AmericanAirlines Arena for workouts on the NBA’s May 8 timetable, going as far as saying county rules already would allow the entire team to be together in the gym,” he wrote.
The movement to reopen NBA training facilities began last week, when the league established a plan to allow teams to open their training facilities if allowed by local governments.
Gimenez offered a message of hope when he made the announcement.
“You can, right now, the Miami Heat, if they’re willing to work out their players individually, they can do that,” Gimenez said, “because we opened up our parks on Wednesday. You can have up to three people in a halfcourt, each with their own ball. Well, there you go. So the Miami Heat can probably get all their players in their facility.”
The county has already allowed up the three players to shoot independently at park baskets. The Heat have seven total baskets at their training facilities for the 17 players on the roster.
“They can get it done,” Gimenez said. “We can allow that, as long as you maintain the same rules as one ball, nobody touches somebody else’s ball. Yeah, you can get that done.”
While full-court scrimmages would not be possible, it would surely be fantastic for Heat players to get back on the court and spend time with one another once again.
The Heat haven’t played since their loss to the Charlotte Hornets on March 11, their last game prior to the league-wide shutdown.