Still solving the problems
League executives searching for answers amid stoppage because of coronavirus
Amid the rapidly changing timeline to limit the spread of coronavirus and deal with the fallout from the global pandemic, the continuation of even a revised NBA season seemed increasingly uncertain Monday, though it remained the goal.
A day after a CDC recommendation that no in-person events of 50 or more people should be held for eight weeks, President Donald Trump said Monday to expect the crisis to continue “until July or August.”
Last week, the NBA suspended its season for at least 30 days, though it already was clear that was just to provide time to assess options to return, rather than a timetable to resume play.
The overwhelming consensus among the NBA Board of Governors, according to multiple individuals familiar with those conversations, was to complete a season in some way.
In light of subsequent developments, a wide range of options would have to be weighed — from a reduction or suspension of the remaining regular season to playing games with no fans present — but every consideration would require pushing the season back to a late summer finish and potentially delay the start of next season.
On Sunday, ESPN reported that the NBA was preparing a mid- to late-June restart to the season, pushing the NBA Finals to mid-August, but even that was viewed as a best-case alternative.
The league has sought information on every scenario its teams could come up with, according to individuals with knowledge of conversations. That has included seeking information on the availability of arenas and alternate venues, with modeling discussed to provide estimates on projected financial losses for a variety of options.
A Board of Directors finance advisory committee held a conference call Monday. A meeting of the board is expected within days, though that is expected to continue dialogue rather than reach decisions, a person familiar with the plans said.
Players were permitted to leave their teams’ home markets, other than those in selfquarantine or isolation because of exposure to the coronavirus, according to various reports. The league also recommended that players be kept separate in on-court or training facility workouts, and that anyone entering facilities should be screened.
Even a hypothetical timeline already had become fluid, as was made clear after the CDC announcement.
“CDC, in accordance with its guidance for large events and mass gatherings, recommends that for the next eight weeks, organizers (whether groups or individuals) cancel or postpone inperson events that consist of 50 people or more throughout the United States,” read a statement on the organization’s website.
NBA games, even with no fans in attendance, would have far more than 50 individuals in the building when including players, coaches, training staff and some support staff.
While much of public life across the country has been put on hold, the NBA’s decision making about when and how to come out of that was suspended, too, with uncertainty accompanying every option.
“We will continue to coordinate with infectious disease and public health experts along with government officials to determine safe protocols for resuming our games,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver wrote in his letter to fans last week. “This remains a complicated and rapidly evolving situation that reminds us that we are all part of a broader society with a responsibility to look out for one another.”