SALT LAKE CITY — NBA commissioner Adam Silver was heading home Wednesday night after hours of meetings via conference call with the league’s board of governors to discuss the next steps in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak when he got a call from the league office.
At that point, the Golden State Warriors had decided to play games without fans in the stands to comply with an order from the San Francisco Department of Health, but even health officials were unsure if that should be mandated leaguewide by the NBA.
The plan was for the league to process all the information from Wednesday’s meetings and make a final decision on Thursday, but the call Silver got changed everything.
Right before the Utah Jazz were to tip off against the Oklahoma City Thunder on the road, test results came back confirming Jazz All-Star center Rudy Gobert had contracted coronavirus.
“Once his test came back positive, we needed to make a decision whether we were then going to cancel the game,” Silver said Thursday night in an appearance on TNT’s “Inside the NBA.”
With fans in their seats and the game already delayed, Silver spoke to Thunder owner Clay Bennett and general manager Sam Presti, along with representatives from the Jazz.
“I think we quickly agreed that this of course should not be a business decision,” Silver said. “We should be listening to the public health experts (in) Oklahoma City and the team doctors. They conferred and fairly quickly decided we should not be playing.”
Silver officially canceled the game and fans were cleared out of Chesapeake Energy Arena. Given the hours of conversation Silver had previously in the day Wednesday, he decided to put the league on hiatus once Wednesday’s games were complete.
That timeline was moved up, however, when it was realized that referee Courtney Kirkland, who had worked the Jazz’s Monday game against the Toronto Raptors, was about to work the Sacramento Kings-New Orleans Pelicans game late Wednesday.
So what happens now with the NBA?
Silver said on “Inside the NBA” that the plan is for the league to be on hiatus for at least 30 days, and The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported Thursday that the league and players union are planning to enter an agreement for a moratorium period effective March 12 to April 10.
Charania reported the moratorium would freeze all business such as trades, signings, player and team options and 10-day contracts. At that point, a reassessment will be made.
He also reported that players will be paid in full on March 15. That being said, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Thursday that the players association has emailed players spelling out terms on a “doomsday provision” in the collective bargaining agreement that could free owners from paying players a percentage of their salaries should the rest of the season be lost.
Silver said Thursday night that at this point, if league play does resume at some point, all options are on the table in terms of playing with or without fans present in arenas.
“Coming together, what makes sense here and without compromising anyone’s safety, and I think it’s frankly too early to tell,” Silver said.
On Friday, the Jazz released a statement saying, “Tickets already purchased by individuals or rental groups for a postponed game will be honored when the game is rescheduled, or their tickets can be refunded upon request.
“For tickets purchased by groups or as part of mini-plans, half-season and season ticket packages, those tickets purchased will be honored when the games resume. If games are officially cancelled for this season, those tickets will be credited to the next season or refunded upon request.
“Refunds may be obtained through your point of purchase.
“The expiration date for Jazz Notes will be extended and will not expire until further notice. Fan Experience Packages are not eligible for a refund unless the game is cancelled. Junior Jazz youth program tickets remain valid until games are cancelled.”
On Thursday, TNT’s Ernie Johnson asked Silver if it’s possible the season will not continue.
“Of course it’s possible,” Silver said. “I just don’t know more at this point … We don’t know, so at this point we’re just waiting.”
In a letter addressed to NBA fans that was released on Thursday night, Silver outlined much of what he shared on the TV appearance, but concluded by writing, “This remains a complicated and rapidly evolving situation that reminds us that we are all part of a broader society with a responsibility to look out for one another. That is what the NBA will continue to do, and we are grateful for your understanding and for being the best fans in sports.”