Coronavirus: Raptors fly out to Florida for planned NBA restart

Toronto, June 23: NBA champions the Toronto Raptors have flown out to Florida as they prepare for the 2019-20 season's planned restart.

The NBA is planning to resume the campaign at Walt Disney World Resort via a 22-team format in Orlando next month after the league was suspended in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Toronto travelled to Florida on Monday (June 22), with the Raptors to be based in Fort Myers until entering the NBA campus at Disney in early July for the remainder of the season.

"In keeping with NBA and team safety protocols, there will be no group workouts during this phase of return to play, and strict protocols have been designed to ensure this initial level of access will take place in a safe, controlled, and healthy way," the Raptors said in a statement.

Raptors to prepare for a resumption to the 2019-20 @NBA season in Fort Myers, Florida.

Details » https://t.co/Dghg9gaRiZ pic.twitter.com/wGMyIHe5I2

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) June 22, 2020

Group workouts will only begin once teams have reported to the NBA campus at Walt Disney World Resort.

The Raptors (46-18) were second in the Eastern Conference prior the COVID-19 crisis, behind the NBA-leading Milwaukee Bucks (53-12).