NBA Suspending Season Indefinitely
The NBA has announced that it will be suspending the 2019/20 regular season indefinitely after the conclusion of tonight’s games. According to the league’s announcement, it will use the hiatus to “determine next steps for moving forward in regard to the coronavirus pandemic.”
A Jazz player has tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19), the NBA confirmed in its statement, adding that the test result was reported shortly before the tipoff of tonight’s Utah/Oklahoma City game, which was ultimately postponed. Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that the affected player is Rudy Gobert.
The NBA’s Board of Governors had a conference call earlier today to discuss ways to handle the pandemic. Several teams were open to the idea of postponing all contests while many were in favor of playing without fans in the arena. The Warriors had planned to host the first game without fans on Thursday night at the Chase Center, but that game – like the rest, starting tomorrow – will no longer be played as scheduled.
In today’s discussions, the Knicks were the only team that wanted to keep the status quo with regard to fans being in the stadium amidst the coronavirus outbreak, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com tweets. The franchise wanted things to remain the same until a government or public mandate dictated a change.
According to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago, there was talk earlier today around the NBA that if any player tested positive, all teams that played against the team with the infected player would have to be quarantined for two weeks. While 14 days has been the general rule for recent coronavirus cases, no official timeline has been set by the NBA.
In the short term, teams that have been in contact with Gobert and the Jazz in recent days will likely attempt to test their players as soon as possible. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter), Jazz and Thunder players were quarantined in the Chesapeake Energy Arena following tonight’s postponement.
For more on the story, check out our full report on Gobert’s positive test.
Pelicans-Kings Contest Postponed
The NBA has postponed Wednesday night’s Pelicans–Kings contest after initially stating that it would suspend the season once that game concluded, the Pelicans have confirmed.
One of the referees in the contest was Courtney Kirkland, who was on duty during the Jazz-Raptors game on Monday. The Kings were ready to go on the court at the time of the scheduled tip-off, while the Pelicans were pushing hard for the game not to be played, as Sam Amick of The Athletic tweets.
Earlier in the evening, Rudy Gobert tested positive for the coronavirus and the Jazz-Thunder game was postponed. Teams that have been in contact with the Jazz and Gobert in recent days are likely to get tested as soon as possible.
The NBA’s Board of Governors had a conference call earlier today to discuss ways to handle the pandemic. Several teams were open to the idea of postponing all contests while many were in favor of playing without fans in the arena. The Warriors had planned to host the first game without fans on Thursday night at the Chase Center, but that game – like the rest, starting tomorrow – will no longer be played as scheduled.
Rudy Gobert Tests Positive For Coronavirus
Jazz center Rudy Gobert has tested positive for coronavirus, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
The NBA has confirmed in a press release that a Jazz player tested positive for COVID-19, though the league didn’t specifically name Gobert as that player. The test result was reported just before tip-off of tonight’s game between Utah and Oklahoma City, which was postponed.
The affected player – presumed to be Gobert – wasn’t in the arena at that time, according to the league’s statement. Gobert was never at the Chesapeake Energy Arena tonight, ESPN’s Royce Young confirms (Twitter link).
As a result of the coronavirus crisis, the NBA will suspend the season indefinitely following the conclusion of tonight’s games.
According to reports from Charania and Young (Twitter links), even though Gobert was initially ruled out for tonight’s game with an illness, he felt strong enough to play. The league wanted confirmation that he didn’t have coronavirus before he could be cleared to play, so he was tested before the game.
Once it was determined that Gobert had tested positive, the game was immediately postponed and players and staff returned to their respective locker rooms. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter), Jazz and Thunder players are currently being quarantined in the arena.
While it’s not clear exactly when Gobert contracted the virus, he’ll face criticism for making light of the situation on Monday by going out of his way to touch every microphone and recorder in front of him following his shootaround availability (Twitter link via Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune).
Depending on how long Gobert – or others – have had the virus, the ripple effect across the NBA could be massive. As Sam Amick of The Athletic notes (via Twitter), Utah has played the Raptors, Pistons, Celtics, and Knicks in the past eight days, so players from those teams seem like good bets to be tested as soon as possible.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Thunder-Jazz Game Postponed
The Thunder–Jazz game that was set to play tonight has been postponed. According to Maddie Lee of the Oklahoman (Twitter link), the game was moved “due to unforeseen circumstances.”
According to ESPN’s Royce Young (video link), the teams were seconds away from tipping off when the Thunder’s head medical staffer sprinted on the floor to talk to referees. Players and staff were subsequently sent back to their respective locker rooms.
Rudy Gobert and Emmanuel Mudiay had both been ruled out of tonight’s game with illnesses. According to the Thunder’s broadcast, because there were illnesses among players prior to the game, the teams were waiting on NBA approval to proceed with the contest (Twitter link via Nate Duncan).
Stadium personnel were seen wiping down both the Jazz’ and Thunder’s bench areas following the postponement, according to Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter links).
Hornets Notes: Rozier, McDaniels, Martin
Terry Rozier, who joined the Hornets this past offseason, doesn’t have to fill Kemba Walker‘s shoes, Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer writes. The offensive doesn’t necessarily revolve around Rozier and the point guard is alright with that role.
“When you come to a new team, there are a lot of expectations when you get signed [to a big contract],” teammate Bismack Biyombo said. “He’s trusted the coaches and adapted to the system, which isn’t easy right away. And he has excelled.”
- Jalen McDaniels has been a pleasant surprise for the Hornets this season and lately, he’s been the first player off the bench for the squad, as Bonnell relays in a separate piece. “We’ve said, ‘Here’s your role, here’s what we need from you. Go execute it’. And he’s doing that right now,” James Borrego said.
- The buyouts of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Marvin Williams paved the way for McDaniels to see more playing time. with the Hornets. Bonnell notes in the same piece. MKG went to Dallas after his buyout agreement while Williams landed in Milwaukee.
- The Hornets are impressed with undrafted free agent Caleb Martin, who has split his time between the NBA club and its G League affiliate. “For him to make it in this league, he’s going to have to make that 3-ball,” Borrego said (via Bonnell in a separate piece). “He was really good offensively — attacked the rim, played with great pace, moved the ball. And he competes defensively. I’ve got Cody a little bit ahead of him defensively right now — that’s why we drafted him — but Caleb’s got the same length and size and tenacity.”
Latest On The NBA’s Coronavirus Precautions
The NBA’s Board of Governors had a call with the league office earlier today and discussed plans going forward with regard to taking precautions amid the coronavirus outbreak. Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe of ESPN.com report (Twitter links) that the stakeholders have narrowed it down to two main options: play without fans in the arena or have the league take a hiatus for a period of time.
The greater consensus is to have the games go on without fans, Woj notes. The decision is expected to come as soon as Thursday on what the next steps will be.
The Warriors will play without fans in the arena on Thursday. It was reported that playing behind closed doors is expected to result in a “multi-million dollar loss”
The Sixers are among the teams that will continue to host fans, including tonight’s content against the Pistons. However, Philadelphia and other clubs have sent out memos with preventive and restrictive measures fans can and should take.
The Wizards have opted to remain open for business, for now, despite the D.C. Department of Health advising against holding non-essential gatherings of over 1,000 people. However, Washington doesn’t have a home game again until Sunday, so the decision to play without fans isn’t as urgent for the district as it is for other teams.
The NCAA announced that fans will not be allowed to attend games for the men’s and women’s tournaments this year.
Warriors Notes: Randle, Curry, Mulder, Toscano-Anderson
This season has been one to forget for the Warriors, as they have a record of 15-50 and remain on track for a top-five pick in this summer’s NBA Draft. That being said, despite all the losses, Golden State’s front office has been able to identify different players who could be key contributors in the future.
Players such as Marquese Chriss, Damion Lee, Ky Bowman, and Mychal Mulder are examples of Golden State finding diamonds in the rough this season, opines Anthony Slater of The Athletic.
The Warriors signed Mulder to a multi-year minimum, non-guaranteed deal on Tuesday, making him the latest player to get a commitment beyond this season from the team. John Hollinger of The Athletic reported that Golden State used a portion of its mid-level exception to sign the former University of Kentucky guard.
In seven games this season with the Warriors, Mulder is averaging 11 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 29.1 minutes per game.
Here’s more news out of San Francisco:
- Juan Toscano-Anderson was seen in a walking boot and is scheduled to have an MRI on his ankle, according to ESPN’s Nick Friedell. Head coach Steve Kerr doesn’t expect the forward to join Golden State on its upcoming road trip.
- In other Warriors injury news, superstar guard Stephen Curry is on track to play on Thursday night against the Nets, per Slater. Curry has been out with the seasonal flu. He made his return to his basketball court last Thursday after missing time with a fractured hand.
- Steve Berman of The Athletic detailed point guard Chasson Randle‘s journey from the Chinese Basketball Association to receiving a 10-day contract with Golden State. Randle was one of the many American players in the CBA that were sent home over the Lunar New Year in January. Randle’s 10-day contract is set to expire on Thursday.
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 3/11/20
Here are today’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
- The Trail Blazers assigned Jusuf Nurkic to the G League, per the team. Portland doesn’t have a G League team, so Nurkic reported to the Santa Cruz Warriors.
- The Raptors assigned Stanley Johnson to the Raptors 905 for today’s game, according to the team’s Twitter feed. Johnson, who is the former No. 8 overall pick, signed with the team this past offseason.
- There were also a handful of other assignments today, per the G League’s official log. They are as follows:
- Nuggets assign Keita Bates-Diop (to Windy City Bulls).
- Sixers assign Norvel Pelle (recalled).
- Spurs assign Luka Samanic.
- Wizards assign Anzejs Pasecniks (recalled), Gary Payton II (recalled), and Admiral Schofield.
Joel Embiid Set To Return For Sixers
Sixers center Joel Embiid has been cleared to return to action on Wednesday night against Detroit, tweets Rich Hofmann of The Athletic. Embiid had been sidelined since February 26 due to a left shoulder sprain.
A report last week indicated that Embiid was targeting today’s game vs. the Pistons for his return. He participated in practice on Tuesday, increasing his chances of making it back tonight. Josh Richardson, who has been in the NBA’s concussion protocol, has also been cleared to return.
Although the 76ers are getting a couple of key contributors back, the team will still be without Ben Simmons for the foreseeable future. Philadelphia issued a press release earlier today indicating that Simmons’ back injury will keep him on the shelf for at least the next three weeks. While the Sixers hope their All-Star guard can return before the postseason, that three-week timeline means he’ll be out until at least April.
Coronavirus Updates: Warriors, Cavs, Wizards, Next Steps
As we relayed earlier today, the Warriors‘ Thursday contest vs. Brooklyn is on track to become the first NBA game played without fans in attendance as a result of the coronavirus epidemic.
Discussing the situation today with reporters, Warriors president and COO Rick Welts acknowledged that it will be a costly adjustment for the franchise. As Nick Friedell of ESPN tweets, Welts said not playing Thursday’s game will result in a “multi-million dollar loss” for the Warriors, adding that the number would increase to the “tens of millions” if the team continues to play behind closed doors following its road trip.
Although the lost revenue for one Warriors game won’t have a massive impact on the basketball related income (BRI) for the NBA as a whole, it will become a more significant issue if more teams are forced to play games without fans, which seems likely.
Welts and GM Bob Myers confirmed today that the league’s BRI will be affected and that it could have an impact on the salary cap going forward, though it remains to be seen to what degree that impact will be felt (video link via Anthony Slater of The Athletic). Between this situation and the NBA’s controversy with China, the cap may not increase next season by nearly as much as initially expected.
Here are more news items and notes related to the coronavirus outbreak:
- The NBA has considered the possibility of pushing back its calendar in response to the coronavirus crisis, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. Sources tell Amick that the NBA has been asking teams to provide its arena schedule through July. Currently, the season is expected to end no later than June 21 (if the Finals go seven games).
- The NBA and its players’ union spoke on Wednesday to discuss ways to continue the season without cancelling games, per ESPN’s Zach Lowe and Adrian Wojnarowski. It appears increasingly likely that teams around the league will be required to play in empty arenas, with the NBA bracing for losses “in the hundreds of millions of dollars,” sources tell ESPN.
- After initially recommending against mass gatherings, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said today that the state intends to issue an order saying that no spectators will be allowed at major sporting events, tweets Aaron Portzline of The Athletic. That will affect the Cavaliers, though they’re not scheduled to return home until March 24.
- After the D.C. Department of Health advised against holding non-essential gatherings of 1,000+ people, the Wizards‘ ownership group issued a statement saying that they plan to move forward with allowing fans to attend home games for now. So far, teams have been reluctant to do anything drastic unless they’re faced with a full-fledged ban from local government or an edict from the league.
- Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link) hears that at least half of the NBA’s teams have pulled their advance scouts off the road due to coronavirus concerns.
- In case you missed it, the NCAA announced this afternoon that this year’s men’s and women’s tournaments will be closed to fans.