Report: NBA to Solicit Medical Records From Team Personnel

NBA teams are expected to submit their medical records to an independent panel of physicians, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe.

The NBA will ask teams to submit individual medical records for personnel heading to Orlando for the resumption of the 2019-20 season, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe. 

The medical histories will be reviewed by a panel of physicians, who would "review the individual risk of serious illness due to any spread of the coronavirus in the NBA's bubble environment," per Wojnarowski and Lowe. 

The NBA has expressed concern for coaches in Orlando who are at least 65-years-old. Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich (71), Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni (69) and Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry (65) could each be at heightened risk of contracting COVID-19, per the CDC. 

D'Antoni noted his wish to be with the Rockets on the sidelines during the 2020 playoffs, though he also acknowledged the need for the NBA to abide by strict safety protocols. 

"With all my heart, I want to be on the sideline with the team," D'Antoni told the Houston Chronicle's Brian T. Smith. "But also with all my heart, I want the NBA to function and do well. You can be part of the problem or you can be part of the solution. Whatever that is, I'm willing to do. With the thought that, yeah, I want to be there, sure."

It's unclear whether the NBA could force certain coaches or team personnel to sit out the 2020 playoffs due to their age. An attorney with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said the NBA, "could not exclude any personnel from participating in Orlando solely on the basis of age," per Wojnarowski. 

Legal experts consulted by ESPN, including a top attorney in the Miami office of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, agreed unanimously the NBA could not exclude any personnel from participating in Orlando solely on the basis of age. https://t.co/bNfRmsY7Cr

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 10, 2020

The 2019-20 season is slated to resume on July 31. There will be eight regular-season games before the playoffs begin on Aug. 18. 

The NBA will hold a traditional playoffs with four seven-game rounds, with Game 7 of the Finals held no later than Oct. 12.