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The Disney World resort in Florida is the front-runner to host a potential resumption of the NBA season, according to a US media report.  The city of Orlando, home to the Orlando Magic basketball team, is being considered alongside cities including Las Vegas as the NBA looks to get basketball back up and running, The Athletic reported on Wednesday, citing sources.
The ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, which has multiple basketball facilities, is located at the Disney complex. It has previously hosted student athlete events for the NCAA and Women’s NBA events. 
Play could resume in mid-July, the report said. 
NBA commissioner Adam Silver is open to the idea of resuming the season without fans and in a “bubble” environment, which would see players, team personnel and game officials avoid contact with the outside world.  The NBA suspended operations on March 11 but has not officially cancelled any games. Teams began opening their practice facilities on May 8 for limited workouts and treatment for players under local social distancing guidelines.  As of last Friday, players are having 25 percent of their bi-monthly paychecks withheld to account for the possibility that games may be cancelled under the force majeure provision of the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement.
If the season resumes and is played in its entirety, that money would be returned to players.  In a conference call on May 8, Silver reportedly told players that the league does not have to make a decision to restart or cancel the season until early June. 
NBA guidelines
NBA teams expect the league office to issue guidelines around June 1 allowing teams to begin recalling far-flung players in anticipation of resuming the coronavirus-disrupted season, ESPN reported on Wednesday.
The US sports broadcaster said teams expect to be told about the same time when they can expand individual workouts -- already underway at some clubs -- to include more team personnel.
And ESPN said, citing unnamed sources, many owners and club executives expect league commissioner Adam Silver to announce in June that the season will resume -- with games to begin “sometime before the end of July.”
Plans for a possible return include how to bring back players who have departed their teams’ markets -- including those who have returned to homes overseas such as Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic.
More individual workouts and team training camps would also feature in a build-up to any resumption of play.
The eventual format of the remainder of the season also remains under discussion by league officials, the players’ union and owners.
It’s possible the NBA could try to squeeze in the remainder of the season, but they could opt for an expanded playoffs with a play-in for teams beyond the usual 16 spots.
Successful surgery
Golden State Warriors centre Kevon Looney underwent successful surgery on Tuesday to repair a core muscle injury and is expected to be ready for the start of next season, the team announced.
Looney, 24, missed 45 games this season with various injuries, including a hamstring strain, a neuropathic condition and, most recently, an abdominal strain that led to the surgery, performed in Philadelphia.
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22/05/2020
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