NBA Commissioner Hints Another Season Shutdown

Rockets' Eric Gordon (left) defending Clippers' Lou Williams (right) in Rockets vs Clippers game in 2018
Rockets' Eric Gordon (left) defending Clippers' Lou Williams (right) in Rockets vs Clippers game in 2018. Photo by Jevone Moore/Cal Sport Media/CSM/REX/Shutterstock

While the NBA season is yet to recommence following the coronavirus shutdown, league commissioner Adam Silver implied at a virtual press conference that a second league shutdown could occur if there is a significant spike in coronavirus cases within the NBA’s protected campus in Orlando leading up to the season restart.

Currently, numerous NBA teams are making their way to Disney World in Orlando, Florida, where the NBA season is set to recommence at the end of July. Upon arrival at their facilities in Orlando, each team will undergo two days of isolation after which more coronavirus testing will take place. Only once they complete these procedures will training recommence as usual.

“We won’t be surprised when they first come down to Orlando if we have some additional players test positive,” Silver explained. “What would be most concerning is once players enter this campus and then go through our quarantine period, then if they were to test positive or if we were to have any positive tests, we would know we would have an issue.”

Silver also mentioned that while the NBA players and staff would use the Disney World campus as their base until the end of the season, this campus will not be completely isolated from the community. After all, Disney World staff will be performing various support functions for the NBA during this time. Ultimately, Silver and the NBA will be taking vigorous health measures to minimize the risk of spreading coronavirus.