Fans around the world are still waiting with crossed fingers to hear when the NBA will resume play. It's been over two weeks since the courts closed their doors. In that time, the NBA has been hit the hardest out of all major sports by COVID-19.
So far, this downtime has been a rollercoaster. Teams have endured season cancellation rumors, rigorous virus testing, and tough decisions about their immediate futures.
Read on to find out the latest news from the NBA and predictions on the future of the sport.
When Will the NBA Season Resume?
Although there were rumors that the season will be scrapped altogether. In recent news, it seems the NBA officials are determined to get back on the courts. They are determined not to miss any of the years’ sporting events and are working for them to go ahead as normal even if a little delayed.
The initial idea of waiting to resume with fans courtside is proving to be an unrealistic and irresponsible one. So, the NBA is keen to follow the Chinese league and resume play in private. To further reduce the spread of risk, they will host all teams in private hotels. Plus, cluster the games in specific low-risk areas such as Las Vegas, the Bahamas, or a Midwest college campus.
How Will This Affect the Rest of the Years Sporting Events?
It seems inevitable that whatever the NBAs next move is will lead to some significant delays in the year's events. The NBA Draft, for example, will 99.9999% be delayed.
The most pressing problem lands outside of the NBA. The 2020 Olympics is set to commence in July but has now announced its postponement. The NBA is worried that once the Olympics is able to set a new date, many of its players won't be able to participate because of the delays in their sporting events. Players simply cannot be in two places at the same time.
Border Closures Leave Players in Limbo
The forced downtime of the NBA has a silver lining for many players in some sense. They are able to travel home either within the US or abroad to spend time with their families.
Many foreign players have been advised to return home by their governments in case the borders close indefinitely. However, that has made many players face a difficult decision over contract obligation and family responsibility.
Because of this, many players are either stuck in the US or abroad. Adding yet another layer of complexity to the resume of the season and the usual NBA schedule.
Looking Ahead
It's looking promising that the NBA will be returning to our screen quicker than first anticipated. Great news for everybody involved. The NBA is in the process of creating the safest and most time effective plan. We will have to wait and see what exactly that looks like. Stick with us to receive the
latest NBA news
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