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Per The Athletic’s Shams Charania:
NBA and NBPA essentially forming in-market bubbles for the eight non-restart teams, Sept. 14 to Oct. 6, sources say.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 19, 2020
Phase 1: Sept. 14-20: Testing begins, individual workouts
Phase 2: Sept. 21-Oct. 6: Group training in campus setting; private living accommodations for all. https://t.co/774ZkM0xVz
I wrote about how this was the logical place for the concerns of teams and players to end up, but it is a relief to have this finally end up resolved. The Pistons will not go between eight and 12 months (yes, Twelve Whole American Months) without playing as a team. I know Troy Weaver, who desperately wanted an in-person evaluation of where guys like Sekou Doumbouya, Luke Kennard, and Justin Patton are, is a happy camper tonight. It’s only practice - not a game, practice - but it’s a useful tool in the arsenal of the Pistons’ new general manager.
The format Charania laid out makes a lot of sense. Two weeks for guys to come back in-market, get tested regularly - which is of real importance, you kinda need to know who will actually be healthy enough to practice - and ramp up conditioning. Then, two weeks of group practices, where guys can actually test the skill development things they’ve (hopefully) been working on during the break.
Note that the practices conclude 10 days prior to where the 2020 NBA Draft is currently scheduled, as well - those two weeks of practice could be useful if you’re trying to figure out a positional need for draft picks or undrafted free agents. It WILL be interesting to see how the NBA and NBAPA come to an arrangement regarding the draftees, as well. With no planned Summer League and no second session of group practices currently planned, incoming rookies could get drafted in October and not practice with their new teammates until January.
Now, we just have to figure out a way to get some of these group practices televised. I NEED SOME PISTONS CONTENT NBA CMON.
What do you all think? You as eager to get 5-on-5 Detroit Pistons practices on your TV as I am? Let us know in the comments.