Adam Silver doesn’t know. Dr. Anthony Fauci doesn’t know.
Chris Paul doesn’t know when the NBA is going to return, either. Nobody does.
The All-Star point god of the Oklahoma City Thunder is also the president of the players’ union, which means he’s in the loop on the league’s plans to restart, conduct the playoffs, and crown a champion. Except, right now, while scenarios are being mapped out, there is no way to put any of them into action, as CP3 told Mark Medina of the USA Today.“It’s really just a ‘wait-and-see’ game and hoping that the coronavirus gets contained,” Paul told USA TODAY Sports. “What we try to do from the union perspective is try to keep guys informed as much as possible and try to prepare for what we can control...
“If there is any way possible that we can play games for our fans without putting anyone’s health at risk, that is what everybody’s option is,” Paul said. “Not only are we ready to get back and play. The fans are ready to see sports. But everybody understands health comes first before any of that.”
Don’t expect games in front of fans to close out this season, it’s going to be a while before 18,000 people are willing to crowd into an arena again. This season’s playoffs, if they happen, will take place in a “bubble” in Las Vegas or some other city, providing the virus can be contained enough and testing is accurate and plentiful enough to make it all work.
However, the myriad of logistical issues are irrelevant if the NBA doesn’t get the “all clear” from medical experts, as NBA Commissioner Adam Silver told President Donald Trump. And that all clear? It’s a wait-and-see game.