Lakers Practice Facility Opens For Individual Workouts On Saturday

The Lakers were atop the Western Conference with a record of 49-14 before NBA commissioner Adam Silver suspended the season on March 11 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Lakers practice facility opened Saturday for voluntary individual player sessions.

Local government officials determined individual workouts fell under the "rehabilitation and physical wellness" category of the current LA county health order, according to a team spokesperson.  

The NBA said on April 27 that starting May 8, up to four players at a time can use their team's practice facilities in states that have modified their stay-at-home orders. No head coaches or assistant coaches could participate and group activity remains prohibited.

The Lakers were atop the Western Conference with a record of 49-14 before NBA commissioner Adam Silver suspended the season on March 11 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Two Lakers players tested positive for the virus in March, both were asymptomatic.

Silver is exploring multiple options to see if there's a safe way to resume the season, but so far there's no timeline for a return. 

According to the The Athletic, the Lakers' practice facility won't be open seven days a week. 

Dwight Howard will not be among the players using the facility Saturday. 

He said on a conference call on Friday that he's sheltering in place in Georgia with his five children. 

"I probably will stay here until everything’s cleared up to where we can leave," Howard said. "I would love to go back to LA and start working out with the team and everything like that, but I’ve been training here and once everything opens up then I can travel on to LA and start working."