Video: Oklahoma City Thunder Fans and Players are Better Safe Than Sick

Just because team facilities can open on May 8th doesn't mean they will. We'll tell you why that's not a bad thing.

Not that Adam Silver needs advice from me, but if I could impart some wisdom on him and the NBA owners, it's this. Don't be hell-bent on finishing this season, be hell-bent on keeping your players, fans, and staff safe. 

Monday, we found out the association could open team facilities to players as early as May 8th. According to Adrian Wojnarowski, not all owners were aware that the league wanted to open up team gyms by the original target date of May 1st.

Lurking in the background is the 'force majeure' clause that if invoked, could reshape the NBA for years to come. @McCannSportsLaw on how reopening practice facilities could be a start to avoiding that: https://t.co/JcFcPaKUli

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) April 28, 2020

It's important to know that just because players are allowed to be in team facilities, we weren't any closer to seeing real basketball. This plan wasn't going to be a stair-step program were one week four players were allowed in, followed by eight, and so on. 

Owners from states that won't be lifting shelter in place orders are worried their players will migrate to states like Oklahoma, Georgia, and Flordia and risk working out at public gyms. Just because teams can open facilities on May 8th doesn't mean they have open on that date. 

 The Thunder have not said if they will be welcoming players back when the NBA allows. Wojnarowski also reports owners are more than willing to push the start of next season back even further to ensure that more fans can be in the stands. 

If the next NBA action we see is in January, fans will be more than ok with that scenario. Yes, it will be a bummer to lose the rest of this season; however, it's better to be safe than sick.