The NBA announced on Wednesday night that they are suspending the 2019-20 regular season until further notice due to the outbreak of coronavirus, per multiple reports.
In a statement, the league said it will “use this hiatus to determine the next steps for moving forward.”
The decision comes on the heels of the news that Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert has tested positive for coronavirus.
His results were discovered shortly before the Jazz’s tip-off Wednesday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena, though Gobert was not in the venue. Regardless, both teams were quarantined in their respective locker rooms and the game was canceled.
The 2019-20 regular season is in its final stretch, with teams around the league left with roughly 17 games remaining on their respective schedules.
Per reports, the NBA is asking teams to provide their arena schedules through the end of July, suggesting that the league is currently exploring the option of postponing play for at least a month.
Per ESPN’s Rachel Nichols, league owners discussed the possibility of either suspending the season or playing games without fans in attendance. The Knicks were the only team that voted to continue the season as is.
This story first appeared on amny.com.
