The NBA passed substantive new rules Tuesday in an effort to tighten its COVID-19 protocols and stop the rash of postponed games around the league, as well as the spread of the coronavirus among its players and staff.
They come at a fraught time for the NBA as new cases again rise, leaving shortened rosters and hitting its schedule as it attempts to put on a season outside of the bubble it created to conclude the 2019-20 campaign. The league has had a steady drumbeat of postponements over the last week and came to an agreement with the players’ union to try to stop them and do a better job of controlling the virus. The new rules, agreed to with the NBPA, will apply to nearly every part of life for players and team personnel, governing what players can do on the road, on team planes and on the bench.
“Hopefully these new protocols will allow us to see less players and teams affected by COVID,” Nuggets coach Mike Malone told reporters after they were…
