The NBA is bracing for a potential return in mid-to-late June as a target to resume the rest of the 2019-20 season as the best-case scenario, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The league initially suspended play for what would be two weeks, a timeline that quickly transformed into 30 days with the growing expectation for more among owners. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban expected 60 days as a rational target, but even that has proven to be optimistic, considering the rapid spread of the coronavirus.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a recommendation on Sunday night, noting no events or gatherings should include more than 50 people for the next eight weeks. That is a massive jump from a prior recommendation of suspending/canceling events of more than 1,000 people, which was given earlier in the week.
Some NBA owners are even expecting the rest of 2019-20 to be “completely lost” as the worst-case scenario.
The league has taken steps to put their athletes and staff in safe conditions, first asking them to remain in their designed market and most recently allowing them to travel within North America, so long as they communicate with their respective team at all times.
The G League has also been canceled, considering the next few weeks would already kickstart their postseason.
“Our world has changed since Wednesday’s [board of governors] call,” one team president said. “The reality isn’t lost on anyone right now.”
There’s a working plan that would allow games to continue without fans, and even at nearby practice facilities, instead of using empty arenas.
All of these proposals are still up for evaluation in what is a fluid and uncertain reaction to a virus that many have only started to comprehend as of the last few weeks.
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