NBA commissioner Adam Silver appeared on TNT Thursday evening, the day after game play was suspended indefinitely because of the coronavirus outbreak, revealing that the league’s hiatus would last for “at least 30 days.”
“We don’t know enough to be more specific than that,” he told “NBA on TNT’s” Ernie Banks.
Silver acknowledged that the league was mulling a number of different options, including resuming games “with or without fans,” but ultimately said it was too early to tell. He also noted that the NBA’s 2019-2020 season could be canceled altogether. “Of course it’s possible, I just don’t know more at this point,” he said, before some cautious optimism. “I’ve talked to a lot of experts, some have a theory that, just with the common flu as the weather changes, we may to see it peter out a little bit – we just don’t know.”
The NBA quickly made the decision to suspend league action after Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert tested positive for coronavirus before Wednesday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Gobert, who earlier in the week had joked to reporters about spreading the disease – and even touched all of the microphones at a press conference in jest – apologized on Thursday after it was revealed that his teammate, all-star guard Donovan Mitchell, had been infected.
“At the time, I had no idea I was even infected. I was careless and make no excuse,” Gobert said. “I hope my story serves as a warning and causes everyone to take this seriously.”