Hiatus Notes: TV Revenue, Benson, Storylines, Clippers
The NBA hopes to play at least 70 regular-season games this season in order to retain 100% of the revenue the league receives from their regional sports network partners, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (hat tip to RealGM). Those networks broadcast games in local markets. An abbreviated resumption of the regular season would also serve as a way for teams to ramp back up before the playoffs begin, Windhorst adds.
We have more developments related to the league’s hiatus:
- Pelicans owner Gayle Benson has pledged to give $1MM to various causes, including financial assistance to arena workers displaced by the coronavirus-related stoppage, according to a team press release. The Gayle Benson Community Assistance Fund will also provide assistance to the general New Orleans community. Numerous players and teams have reached out to help their arena workers.
- LeBron James‘ pursuit of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time scoring record and Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s potentially historic follow-up to his MVP season are among the storylines that won’t be played out if the season is canceled, Michael Lee of The Athletic notes. The Pelicans’ pursuit of the Grizzlies for the Western Conference’s final playoff berth, with the added intrigue of those teams being led by top rookies Zion Williamson and Ja Morant, would also fall by the wayside.
- The hiatus could have a silver lining for the Clippers, ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk points out. The prime title contender will have a chance to get fully healthy heading into the postseason, as Kawhi Leonard and Paul George will have an extended time to rest, while Lou Williams (calf) and Patrick Beverley (groin) can recover from their ailments. The article breaks down what the hiatus means for each Western Conference club.
Central Notes: Bucks, Lamb, Pistons, Pacers
The Bucks, who had been hoping to lock up Giannis Antetokounmpo to a super-max contract extension this summer, are one of many NBA teams whose future will be complicated by the current hiatus and the potential loss of revenue associated with it, writes Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report.
As Pincus details, a significant loss of revenue for the NBA would compromise the league’s ability to continue increasing its cap substantially over the next couple years. That would, in turn, create uncertainty about Antetokounmpo’s long-term earning power on a super-max deal that begins in 2021/22, and could have a major impact on Milwaukee’s ability to navigate the cap and the luxury-tax line.
Here’s more from around the NBA’s Central division:
- It fell through the cracks to some extent last week due to the NBA’s suspension, but Pacers swingman Jeremy Lamb underwent surgery to repair his torn left ACL and torn meniscus. He’ll be out indefinitely, according to the team. Given the serious nature of his injury, it seems safe to assume Lamb won’t return until sometime in 2020/21 no matter when the ’19/20 season resumes.
- James Edwards III of The Athletic examines how the COVID-19 situation may specifically impact the Pistons, exploring whether Derrick Rose could now return this season (yes), whether Christian Wood‘s free agency value will be impacted at all by his positive test for coronavirus (no), and more.
- Pacers owner Herb Simon is giving financial add to the part-time workers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse affected by the NBA’s stoppage, tweets Bob Kravitz of The Athletic. Meanwhile, the Bucks announced (via Twitter) that they’ll match the donations their players make to part-time arena workers at the Fiserv Forum.
Hiatus Notes: Playoff Plans, G League, Magic
In addition to assessing the availability of its own teams’ arenas, the NBA has begun to look into availability at G League venues and practice facilities through the end of August, league sources tell Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link).
As we relayed on Sunday night, there’s a growing belief that the NBA’s hiatus will extend into at least mid-June, in which case the end of the 2019/20 season and postseason could run well into the summer. As such, the league is exploring all its options as it considers where it might play its games.
Stein explains in a follow-up tweet that venues like G League arenas and practice facilities would only become viable options to host NBA games if they’re closed off to fans. That’s one of many scenarios the league is looking into in an effort to save the playoffs, writes Ben Golliver of The Washington Post.
According to Golliver, some other measures being considered by the NBA include eliminating extra rest days between games, reducing the 16-team postseason field, or hosting a playoff tournament in a single site to reduce – or eliminate – travel between several markets. Commissioner Adam Silver is encouraging teams to be open to “experimental ideas” in when it comes to issues like scheduling format, venues, and television, says ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Here are a few more notes and updates related to the NBA’s coronavirus-related hiatus:
- For now, like the NBA season, the NBA G League season has been postponed and not canceled. However, there’s an expectation that a cancellation is coming, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Malika Andrews, who say that teams are operating under the belief that they’ve played their final games of 2019/20. NBAGL players were informed over the weekend that they’ll receive their entire base salaries, per ESPN’s report.
- Adam Johnson of 2 Ways & 10 Days takes a look at why the G League can’t be treated in the same way as the NBA, and why it’s surprising that the NBAGL season hasn’t yet been canceled.
- The Magic‘s ownership group – the DeVos family – has established a $2MM fund to compensate team and arena hourly workers for games and time missed, the team announced today in a press release. The club’s announcement indicates that multiple players are also providing financial assistance — we noted earlier today that Mohamed Bamba had vowed to help out.
- Ramona Shelburne of ESPN took a deep dive into the NBA’s decision last week to suspend season, examining how Rudy Gobert‘s positive coronavirus test changed the equation suddenly and drastically for the league.
NBA Allowing Players To Travel Out Of Team’s Market
The NBA informed its 30 teams on Sunday night that players will be permitted to travel out of their respective club’s market beginning on Monday, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
As Charania explains (via Twitter), a player who leave his team’s city must do with consultation from the franchise. Players will be required to keep their teams up-to-date on their whereabouts and practice social distancing, while teams are being encouraged to establish daily check-ins for basketball- and health-related updates.
The league is still recommending that players remain in their home team’s market, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Additionally, any players who were advised to self-isolate due to possible exposure to the coronavirus must continue to do so until they’ve been cleared by a medical professional, Bontemps notes.
Additionally, even though players are being permitted to travel, they will not be allowed to leave North America due to outbreaks in Asia and Europe, Bontemps writes.
More Teams, Players Pledge To Support Arena Workers During Hiatus
The list of teams and players who have vowed to help support arena workers who will lose wages during the NBA’s hiatus continues to grow. Here are several of the updates from the couple days:
- The Bulls‘ ownership group, along with United Center ownership, announced that it will pay day-of-game employees through the remained of the originally scheduled season. The Nets issued a press release indicating they’ll do the same for hourly employees who worked games and events at Barclays Center. A team official said the Sixers are doing so too, tweets John Clark of NBC Sports Philadelphia.
- The Spurs announced the formation of a fund totaling $500K+ that will be used to pay its part-time employees through the rest of the season. The Hornets also established a fund to assist the organization’s part-time employees who had been scheduled to work Hornets and Greensboro Swarm games through the end of their respective seasons.
- The Nuggets‘ ownership group pledged to pay its part-time and hourly employees for the next 30 days, per a press release.
- Madison Square Garden has committed to paying event-driven employees, including those who work at Knicks games, through March 22 and is working to come up with a longer-term plan, per a memo obtained by Ian Begley of SNY.tv. The Suns, meanwhile, are paying their employees who were scheduled to work their two home games in March, noting that the staffing for their four home games in April hadn’t yet been finalized.
- The Raptors said in a press release that they have joined forces with Toronto’s other sports franchises to create a fund for arena and stadium workers. “Being a good teammate means looking out for our neighbours, friends and the people we work with,” Raptors president Masai Ujiri said in a statement. “Through this fund, we all pledge to be good teammates to our arena, stadium and support staff. We want to be here for them, the way they are always here for us.”
- Following the lead of stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton, the rest of the Bucks‘ roster has also committed to making donations to impacted Fiserv Forum workers, per the team (Twitter link). Magic center Mohamed Bamba vowed to do the same for Amway Center employees (Twitter link).
- Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns is making a $100K donation as well, but his money will be going to the Mayo Clinic, which is rolling out a test to detect the virus that causes COVID-19. “My hope is that we can fight this virus quicker and more efficiently by increasing the testing capabilities and availability and Mayo Clinic’s overall COVID-19 response,” Towns tweeted.
NBA, NBPA Agree To Halt Drug Testing During Hiatus
The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association have reached an agreement to halt drug testing for players during the league’s current coronavirus-related hiatus, reports Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. Sources tell Haynes that the agreement is temporary.
Players are typically subject to up to four random drug tests during the season and two more during the offseason, per the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Punishments, including lengthy suspensions or banishments, are severe for players who test positive for performance-enhancing drugs or drugs of abuse, while testing positive for marijuana use results in more modest discipline, starting with fines.
According to Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link), the pause on drug testing is meant to address concerns regarding the proximity of drug testers and the sensitivity of drawing blood during the coronavirus outbreak.
Mitchell On Relationship With Gobert: “It Took Me A While To Cool Off”
Appearing on Good Morning America on Monday (hat tip to Scott Gleeson of USA Today), Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell essentially confirmed the reports that had suggested he was frustrated with teammate Rudy Gobert for the big man’s cavalier attitude toward the coronavirus before he tested positive.
“To be honest, it took a while for me to cool off.” Mitchell said when asked directly by host Robin Roberts about where things stood with Gobert (video link). “I read what he said and I heard what he said, so I’m glad he’s doing okay.”
[RELATED: Gobert Donates $500K To Arena Workers, Coronavirus-Related Services]
Although we don’t know with certainty whether Gobert or Mitchell contracted the virus first, or even whether one player got it from the other, the Jazz center faced criticism for not taking the threat seriously and touching others’ belongings at a media session and in the locker room last week.
Mitchell, who said he hasn’t exhibited any of the symptoms typically associated with COVID-19, expressed relief that he and Gobert were the only members of the Jazz to test positive. Following Gobert’s diagnosis, the team’s entire traveling party was tested for the virus. Mitchell was the only one of 58 Utah players and personnel whose test didn’t come back negative.
“I’m just really happy, to be honest – I hate to say that it’s just two of us – but that it wasn’t the whole party,” Mitchell said. “Neither (Gobert) or I have children at home. I know I have some teammates that have children, some staff have children at home. So I’m glad we were able to kind of contain it as much as possible.”
The All-Star guard, who told Roberts that he’s playing plenty of NBA 2K, watching movies, and watching his old highlights while he’s self-quarantined, will also be helping local students get healthy meals at no charge while schools are closed, per a press release from the Jazz.
Team Owners Await Financial Projections From NBA
NBA team owners are waiting for the league to provide them with new financial projections on lost revenues as a result of the coronavirus-related hiatus, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. As Wojnarowski explains, NBA chief financial officer J.B. Lockhart has taken the lead on making those estimates and sharing the information with owners.
[RELATED: NBA Hiatus May Extend Into June]
Tom Haberstroh of NBC Sports and Bobby Marks of ESPN are among those who recently estimated that losing the remainder of the regular season and some or all of the postseason could cost the NBA upwards of $500MM+ in basketball related income. While the league has yet to publicize its own projections, it’s safe to say teams around the NBA are bracing for major losses.
According to Wojnarowski, the NBA will likely share a handful of projections with teams based on at least three different scenarios. Those scenarios are as follows:
- Shutting down the season entirely.
- Resuming the season with no fans in arenas.
- Resuming and playing postseason games with fans in attendance.
That lost revenue isn’t the most pressing concern for fans, but we’ll likely see its impact going forward on the salary cap. As recently as last June, the NBA was calling for a $117MM cap for the 2020/21 season, up from approximately $109MM in 2019/20. Given the projected earnings the league will lose as a result of this hiatus and its controversy with China earlier in the season, that estimate is no longer realistic.
NBA Extending Ban On Team Practices Indefinitely
After initially prohibiting team practices for the weekend, the NBA has extended that ban indefinitely, reports Tim Bontemps of ESPN (Twitter link). According to Bontemps, players will still be permitted to work out individually at team facilities.
[RELATED: NBA Hiatus May Extend Into June]
With social distancing being encouraged across the country and players on several teams being advised to self-isolate, it makes sense that the NBA isn’t ready to permit practices that could feature a full roster of players and a team’s entire coaching staff.
Players are being asked to remain apart during workouts to limit the number of people coming into contact with each other, including just one player at each basket and one player weight lifting at a time, per Bontemps.
The NBA has also recommended that teams consider using temperature checks on anyone who enters their facilities, league sources tell Bontemps (Twitter link). A fever is one of the most common symptoms for those who have contracted the coronavirus.
Hiatus Notes: Gobert, Nets, Warriors, Obama
Jazz center Rudy Gobert addressed his supporters on Sunday by way of social media, discussing the coronavirus in a video posted to the NBA’s Twitter account.
Gobert, the first NBA player to contract the virus, was criticized by many for taking the illness too lightly last week. He was seen in a viral video intentionally touching microphones that belonged to the media, showing little regard for the severity of the matter.
“I’ve been feeling a little better every single day thanks to the healthcare people of Utah, Oklahoma City, and all the great people around me,” Gobert said.
Gobert wasn’t aware before Wednesday that he had contracted the illness, but his actions reportedly didn’t sit well with Jazz teammates and officials. Gobert recognized his mistakes and recently donated $500K to support employee relief funds at Vivint Smart Home Arena, along with coronavirus-related services in Utah, Oklahoma City, and France.
“I just want to make sure to remind you guys to keep washing your hands frequently with soap and water,” Gobert said. “Try to avoid touching your face, your nose, your eyes, and of course try to avoid making any unnecessary contact with people. It’s all about protecting yourself and the people around you.
“I wish I would’ve taken this thing more seriously, and I hope everyone else will do so — because we can do it together. Take care and stay safe.”
Here are some other notes related to the NBA’s hiatus:
- The Nets were expected to be tested for coronavirus over the weekend, as relayed by Maggie Gray of WFAN (Twitter link). In addition, Brooklyn released a statement last week that specified Barclays Center and the team’s practice facility would be thoroughly cleaned.
- The Warriors’ ownership, players and coaches have combined to contribute $1MM to disaster relief funds for employees of the Chase Center, the team announced on social media (Twitter link). “The men and women who work our games at Chase Center are critical in providing an incredible game-night experience for our fans, including of course, the popcorn vendors,” Stephen Curry said. “As players, we wanted to do something, along with our ownership and coaches, to help ease the pain during this time.”
- Former president Barack Obama was among many to praise the NBA players who have donated money during this difficult time, writing the following on social media: “A shout out to Kevin [Love], Giannis [Antetokounmpo], Zion [Williamson], Blake [Griffin], Steph and all the players, owners and organizations who are setting a good example during a challenging time. A reminder that we’re a community, and that each of us has an obligation to look out for each other.”