The NBA suspended its season in the wake Rudy Gobert testing positive test for coronavirus – sparking numerous questions, especially:
How long will the stoppage last?
Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times, via Justin Russo:
Per Dan Woike, via mass text: "The suspension is indefinite, but from what I was told by a league official earlier this week, a player testing positive would mean everything goes on pause (at minimum) for a month."
— Justin Russo (@FlyByKnite) March 12, 2020
The regular season was originally scheduled to end in just over a month. So, this throws the entire schedule into disarray. The league reportedly expects to resume the season with a truncated schedule. But this is also the same league that – as of yesterday – expected to continue games, just without fans in attendance. There are so many variables.
The NBA’s most-affected team will determine so much of this. (Unless the season resumes with the playoffs. In that case, it’d be the league’s most-affected postseason team.)
Recent Jazz opponents – Cavaliers, Knicks, Celtics, Pistons, Raptors – are self-quarantining. In Toronto’s case, that’s for at least 14 days.
Kayla Grey of TSN:
The Toronto Raptors have released the following statement: pic.twitter.com/pgDxATKpnt
— Kayla Grey (@Kayla_Grey) March 12, 2020
Presumably, other teams face similar timelines.
There are also further-reaching effects to other teams – like the Wizards.
Chris Miller of NBC Sports:
Breaking News: Per @WashWizards pic.twitter.com/jUwo8ifEsT
— Chris Miller 🎥🎙🏀 (@CMillsPXP) March 12, 2020
As coronavirus spreads, a return to NBA basketball becomes such a moving target. But Toronto’s two weeks of self-isolating set a clear starting point. And that’s only the start.
