NBA teams are reportedly still receiving payments from their broadcast partners even though games are on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to Scott Soshnick of Bloomberg.

The NBA suspended the season last week after Utah Jazz All-Star center Rudy Gobert tested positive for the coronavirus.

Since Gobert's positive test, Jazz star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell, Detroit Pistons big man Christian Wood, Brooklyn Nets superstar small forward Kevin Durant and three unknown Brooklyn players and one unnamed member of the Denver Nuggets have also tested positive for the virus:

National Basketball Association teams are still receiving payments from their broadcast partners, even though games are on hold because of the coronavirus outbreak, according to people familiar with the matter.

The NBA didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. ESPN and Turner declined to say whether the networks were making payments as part of agreements that pay the league about $2.6 billion annually.

The NBA’s broadcast contracts expire after the 2024-25 season, which is significant because, according to the people, the value lost to the networks must be made up over the life of the deals. That exact value must be negotiated, and might include more games or additional advertising inventory.

The NBA is trying to finish its 2019-20 season in mid-July or August. Canceling the season altogether is something no NBA owner wants to do.

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Nathanial Duffett ·

Kenny Smith in a suit surrounded by piles of cash.

Nathanial Duffett ·

There has been talk about maybe shortening the end of the regular season so that the playoffs can be played in full. It's important to note that the NBA makes a lot of its money in the postseason, so the league wants some form of playoff to happen.

Hopefully, we don't get anymore positive tests in the NBA. However, because this virus spreads so quickly and deceptively, the odds of that happening are unfortunately low.