The Miami Heat’s effort to get back on the court after two months away took a major step forward when Miami-Dade County issued an emergency order that specifically focuses on the Heat’s practice facility.
The order is part of an amendment to Miami-Dade County Emergency Order 15-20, which went into effect on Friday at 6 p.m.
While the order deals with the closing of pools, hot tubs, fitness centers and gyms, the specific language within makes clear that the Heat are exempted. However, the is was required to have a plan in place to limit the chance of spreading the coronavirus.
“Nothing contained herein shall preclude the use of facilities owned or leased by a professional sports franchise, solely by employees of such franchise for training purposes; however, prior to and as a precondition of engaging in such training, the franchise shall submit to and have approved by the County a plan addressing the franchise’s approach to mitigating COVID-19 risk at the facility through social distancing, periodic testing, or both,” the order reads.
The Heat have yet to officially announce a date for players to start practicing again, but is targeting this Wednesday as a potential date for voluntary workouts.
The look of those workouts will have a limited number of players practicing at a given time, though exactly when that group will be able to expand is unknown.
Prior to the March 11 lockdown by the NBA, the Heat had a 41-24 record, fourth-best in the NBA.
At present, there still remains uncertainty whether the league will attempt to finish the regular season or go straight into the postseason.