Exactly a week ago, the coronavirus brought the NBA to a screeching halt.
In the days since, several players and prominent figures within the sport have either been tested for or been diagnosed with the virus, while the rest of us have discovered creative ways to indulge in social distancing and keep ourselves occupied during Coronaviruspalooza:
But with the entire season derailed by this pandemic, the streets wanna know: Will the NBA be returning anytime soon?
According to CBS Sports, the league discussed its plans for moving forward on Tuesday and the prognosis looks rather grim:
The NBA continues to consider all options for an eventual return to play following the current suspension of action due to the outbreak of the coronavirus. The NBA discussed potential contingency plans with the league’s Board of Governors on a call on Tuesday, including playing only several more regular-season games and shortening early playoff series’ from best-of-seven to best-of-five, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The NBA shifted from a best-of-five first-round series to a best-of-seven series in 2003.
Ex-surgeon general Vivek Murthy was also on the call and killed any notion of the sport we all know and love resuming operations until at least June at the absolute earliest.
From ESPN:
“Basically, [Dr. Murthy] said: The only good news is that people are starting to stay home,” one high-ranking league official told ESPN. “No one left that call thinking we could be playing anytime soon.”
The league is also entertaining numerous scenarios that include either canceling the rest of the season entirely, resuming games without fans in the arenas, and playing in the playoffs with fans present.
Additionally, with millions in lost revenue projected, the NBA will raise its credit line from $650 million to $1.2 billion in order to offset expenses as the league struggles to regain its footing.
So basically, teams are sitting around waiting for updates like the rest of us, as the NBA is reluctant to provide potential “drop-dead dates” to resume the season. As such, owners are at the mercy of J.B. Lockhart, the NBA’s chief financial officer, who’s been tasked with assessing the financial fallout of this indefinite suspension and providing projections on lost revenue.
This is all a big ass mess that clearly isn’t ending anytime soon, so please stay safe out there because contrary to popular belief, this outbreak is much bigger than just basketball.