Miami Heat forward Derrick Jones Jr. tested positive for the coronavirus in the first wave of tests teams gave to players a week ago.
When a second player tested positive this Thursday, the Heat decided to shut down their training facility, something reported by long-time Heat writer Ethan J. Skolnick of 5 Reasons Sports. (This player has chosen not to identify himself publicly.)
Miami will begin training again in Orlando next week when the team is cleared and can start practicing before the restart of the NBA season. Both Jones and this second player are expected to practice and play with the team once cleared.
The Heat will continue to test players before heading to Orlando on July 8.
Miami is the third team to close its facilities, along with Denver and the Los Angeles Clippers.
Miami heads to Orlando as the four seed in the West, but just two games ahead of both Indiana and Philadelphia. The Heat have a much tougher schedule through the eight “seeding games” before the playoffs, and Miami will have to play better on the defensive end than it did after the All-Star break to hold on to that seed heading into the playoffs.
