Per KRON4 sports director Jason Dumas, the NBA is considering halting play for 7 to 14 days due to the league’s ever-growing number of positive COVID-19 tests. Dumas adds that though a stoppage is an option, the League’s top decision-makers would prefer to avoid such a scenario.
Source: NBA considering a 7 to 14 day pause amidst the growing rate of positive cases within the league. The NBA brass & GMs will meet virtually today or tomorrow to reconsider safety protocols. The league wants to avoid a pause but it is on the table. @kron4news
— Jason Dumas (@JDumasReports) January 11, 2021
NBA spokesman Mike Bass commented on the situation, stating that: “[they] anticipated that there would be game postponements this season and planned the schedule accordingly. There are no plans to pause the season, and we will continue to be guided by our medical experts…”
It should be noted that Bass’ insistence that there are no plans to pause the season doesn’t contradict Dumas’ assertion that a plan to halt play is on the table. However, considering that the League indeed opted to release the schedule in two parts, it’s clear that the NBA was prepared for the possibility that COVID-19 cases would increase at some point; especially with games no longer being held in a bubble.
More than 117 players have contracted COVID-19, per NBC Sports’ Dan Feldman, including marquee players such as Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant.
Miami Heat stars Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, Boston Celtics stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and Denver Nuggets rising star Michael Porter Jr. are among the players who have been listed out due to the NBA’s Health and Safety Protocols.
The NBA announced that 48 of 546 players have tested positive “since testing resumed last week.”
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the “NBA and NBPA are currently working through a minimum two-week window of protocol tightening,” such as enforcing coaches and players on the bench to wear masks and restricting social-interaction and hugging amongst players during games.
Also, sources say: More enforcement of mask-wearing, including coaches during games and players on bench. https://t.co/HgcEghtIYQ
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 12, 2021
