The latest news and updates on suspended NBA season

NBA.com Staff

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The latest news and updates on suspended NBA season image

On Thursday, March 12, the NBA announced that the 2019-20 season has been suspended in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

On Friday, June 5, the NBA Board of Governors approved a competitive format to restart the 2019-20 season with 22 teams returning to play. The Board’s approval is the first formal step among many required to resume the season.

We will continue to update this file as and when new information becomes available.

June 6: NBPA releases statement on return to play scenario

The Board of Player Representatives of the NBPA has approved "further negotiations with the NBA on a 22-team return to play scenario."

"Various details remain to be negotiated and the acceptance of the scenario would still require that all parties reach agreement on all issues relevant to resuming play," the NBPA said in a statement.

June 5: G League cancels remainder of season

The G League won't return this season.

“While canceling the remainder of our season weighs heavily on us, we recognize that it is the most appropriate action to take for our league,” said NBA G League President Shareef Abdur-Rahim on Thursday. “I extend my sincere gratitude to NBA G League players and coaches for giving their all to their teams and fans this season. And to our fans, I thank you and look forward to resuming play for the 2020-21 season.”

The NBA G League will announce end-of-season award winners in the coming weeks.

June 5: Board of Governors approves competitive format to restart season

The NBA announces that the Board of Governors has approved a competitive format to restart the season, with 22 of the league's 30 teams returning to play and a tentative start date of Friday, July 31.

The plan is for each team to play eight "seeding games" ahead of the playoffs and there is a possibility of a play-in tournament for the eighth and final playoff seed in each conference.

“The Board’s approval of the restart format is a necessary step toward resuming the NBA season,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. “While the COVID-19 pandemic presents formidable challenges, we are hopeful of finishing the season in a safe and responsible manner based on strict protocols now being finalized with public health officials and medical experts.

"We also recognize that as we prepare to resume play, our society is reeling from recent tragedies of racial violence and injustice, and we will continue to work closely with our teams and players to use our collective resources and influence to address these issues in very real and concrete ways.”

Click here to read more about the NBA's plan.

May 23: NBA, Disney talk about resuming season

The NBA is in talks with The Walt Disney Company on a single-site scenario for a resumption of play in Central Florida in late July, the clearest sign yet that the league believes the season can continue amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The National Basketball Players Association is also part of the talks with Disney. Games would be held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, a massive campus on the Disney property near Orlando.

May 14: Magic players begin voluntary workouts at Amway Center

The Orlando Magic re-opened their practice facility on Thursday, and center Nikola Vucevic was among the first batch of players to participate in the workouts.

In a video provided by the team, Vucevic is seen going through a socially distanced, individual workout with one of the team's player development coaches, who was wearing gloves and a mask while feeding Vucevic the ball during drills.

“It felt good to be back here and get some work in,” Vucevic said. “I still want you guys to stay safe, be smart and listen to the experts. It’s still a dangerous time for everybody.”

May 13: NBA now up to 10 teams back to voluntary workouts

With Miami re-opening its doors Wednesday, 10 of the league’s 30 teams have gone forward with on-court individual workouts — the first permitted sessions since the league ordered teams to close their training facilities as part of the coronavirus pandemic response about two months ago.

Besides the Heat, the other teams that have opened so far are Portland, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Denver, Atlanta, Indiana, Sacramento, Toronto and Utah. More are expected in the coming days; among them, Orlando is close, and the Los Angeles Lakers are targeting Saturday.

May 8: NBA slowly begins opening facilities

The NBA marked today as the earliest day for teams to reopen practice facilities for player workouts. The Cavaliers and Trail Blazers both opened their facilities today and several other teams will do so next week.

As voluntary workouts begin at NBA facilities, it's been reported by ESPN that a handful of teams will be able to give coronavirus tests to asymptomatic players. Only teams that are located in cities where coronavirus testing has become readily available for health care workers will be allowed to do so.

May 1: NBA postpones 2020 NBA Draft Lottery and Combine

The NBA today announced the postponement of NBA Draft Lottery 2020 and NBA Draft Combine 2020, both scheduled to take place later this month in Chicago.

More information on each event will be shared at a later date as the NBA continues to closely monitor the coronavirus pandemic and consult with infectious disease specialists, public health experts and government officials.

Monday, April 27: NBA provides update on use of team practice facilities

In a statement on Monday, the NBA announced that it has advised teams that it is targeting no earlier than Friday, May 8 as the commencement date for new rules regarding the use of team practice facilities and player training.

"The potential rules changes would allow teams to make their practice facilities available for use by the team’s players for workouts or treatment on a voluntary, individual basis if the team’s facility is in a city that is no longer subject to a government restriction," the statement reads.

"For any team that, due to a government restriction, is prohibited from making its facility available for use by the team’s players, the league will work with the team to identify alternatives."

This is in response to numerous states and local governments announcing modifications to stay-at-home orders.

Saturday, April 18: Silver says there is still no timetable for return

In a conference call with reporters, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said there is still neither a timetable for a possible return or a deadline for canceling the season.

"There is a lot of data that all has to be melded together to help make these decisions," Silver said. "That is part of the uncertainty. We are not even at the point where we can say if only A, B and C were met, then there is a clear path.

"I think there is still too much uncertainty at this point to say precisely how we move forward. I'll add that the underlying principle remains the health and well-being of NBA players and everyone involved. We begin with that as paramount."

Saturday, April 18: NBA, NBPA reach agreement on player pay

The NBA and NBPA announced on Friday that they have reached an agreement on "the method for reducing player compensation in the event of a permanent cancellation of 2019-20 regular season or playoff games due to the COVID-19 pandemic."

The agreement? Withholding 25 percent of each player paycheck starting May 15.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the union has informed players that they might not find out whether or not games will be cancelled until June 15. Should all the remaining regular season games be played, the money being withheld would go back to the players. If there are some cancellations, Wojnarowski reports that the teams would keep a percentage of the money.

Tuesday, April 7: Silver says no decision on season until May

NBA commissioner Adam Silver told TNT's Ernie Johnson in an interview that while the league continues to explore ways to resume the season, a decision on the 2019-20 season is still likely a few weeks away. 

Thursday, April 2: Brooklyn Nets provide an update

Two weeks after announcing that four players on Brooklyn had tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, Nets general manager Sean Marks said that the team is now free from coronavirus symptoms .

Wednesday, April 1: Los Angeles Lakers provide an update

According to Marc Stein of the New York Times, the Lakers released a statement to say that all their players are symptom-free of COVID-19.

On March 20, the Lakers announced that two players had returned positive tests for coronavirus.

Monday, March 30: Marcus Smart is Coronavirus-free

Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart announced via Twitter that he had been free of Coronavirus for the last two days and had been cleared by the Massachusetts Department of Health.

Sunday, March 29: James Dolan tests positive for COVID-19

New York Knicks owner James Dolan has tested positive for coronavirus  and is currently in self-isolation after showing little to no symptoms.

Saturday, March 28: Utah Jazz provide an update

The Jazz released a statement to say that the Utah Department of Health has determined that "all Jazz players and staff, including two who tested positive for the novel Coronavirus, no longer pose a risk of infection to others."

Friday, March 27: Update on Christian Wood

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Christian Wood of the Detroit Pistons has been cleared from the coronavirus.

Wood was reported as being the third NBA player to test positive for COVID-19.

Friday, March 27: Curry to host Q&A with Dr. Fauci

On Friday, Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry will host a Q&A with Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to talk about all things COVID-19.

You can submit questions on Twitter or Curry's Instagram story with #SCASKSFAUCI.

Thursday, March 26: KAT reveals mother suffering from COVID-19

Minnesota Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns announced in a YouTube video that his mother is currently in a medically-induced coma, pleading with fans to take the coronavirus seriously and practice safe measures.

"This disease needs to not be taken lightly," Towns said. "Please protect your families, your loved ones, your friends, yourself. Practice social distancing. Please don't be in places with a lot of people; it just heightens your chances of getting this disease, and this disease ... it's deadly."

Friday, March 20: Multiple teams announce positive tests

The Lakers (two) and Celtics (one) announce that players have returned positive tests for coronavirus, while a member of the Nuggets' organisation and three members of the 76ers have also returned a positive test. 

Each person is currently under the care of team medical staff and in self-isolation.

Thursday, March 19: Adam Silver provides an update

In a televised interview with Rachel Nichols on ESPN, NBA commissioner Adam Silver provided his comment on several issues.

Here are some of the biggest points he mentioned: 

“Maybe it’s for a giant fundraiser or just for the collective good of the people,” Silver said while mentioning that the league was considering a one-off exhibition/charity game. “You take a subset of players and is there a protocol in which they can be tested and quarantined and isolated in some way. ... People are stuck at home. They need a diversion. They need to be entertained.”

“I don’t have a good enough sense of how long a period this [suspension of the 2019-20 season] is going to be,” Silver said when asked on when and how NBA play could resume. “I’m optimistic by nature and I want to believe that we’ll be able to salvage at least some portion of this season.”

“I’m not there yet. We’ll figure it out. I hope I’m not just in denial, but I’m just not there yet," Silver said when asked about how the league would hand out the regular season awards when play resumes.

Thursday, March 19: Tests of all Oklahoma City Thunder players/staff come back negative

The Thunder announced that all COVID-19 tests of their players and staff have come back negative.

Wednesday, March 18: Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Lakers release statements

The Nets announced that four players have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. One player is said to be exhibiting symptoms while the three others are asymptomatic.

Later in the same day, the Lakers released a statement saying they have been in immediate contact with the team's players and basketball operations staff members in wake of four players on the Nets testing positive.

Brooklyn's last game before the league suspension was against the Lakers.

Friday, March 13: Adam Silver speaks

In addition to releasing a letter to fans, in which he addressed an outline for the future of the season, NBA commissioner Adam Silver went on TNT's "Inside the NBA" to make his first public comments since the league suspended play.

"What we determined today is that this hiatus will be, most likely, at least 30 days," Silver said.

Silver added that "this literally changes hour-by-hour in terms of what we know."

Thursday, March 12: NBA season suspended

The NBA announced that a player on the Utah Jazz had preliminarily tested positive for COVID-19 and that game play following the conclusion of the night's schedule of games would be suspended until further notice.

The NBA said it would use the hiatus to determine next steps for moving forward in regard to the coronavirus pandemic.

The G League followed suit in suspending its season.

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NBA.com Staff

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