NBA Commissioner Admits COVID-19 Could Cancel Season

The coronavirus is getting out of hand and this is the reason why the NBA decided to suspend the 2019-20 season for the safety of players and fans. There is no telling on what the next steps the league will do although NBA commissioner Adam Silver said that canceling the games is a possibility.

Though he did not mention it, this recourse is seen as the decision to be made if other alternative scenarios are no longer feasible. The timing could not have come at the worst time considering the NBA season was in the home stretch before the NBA playoffs. Silver said that canceling the entire season was an option when he appeared on TNT's "Inside The NBA".

"Of course it's possible. I just don't know more at this point," Silver said on the program.

It would be a decision that would not sit well with all. But at the way things are going right now, it may be the only feasible solution. No exact time frame can be derived as to when everything could normalize. But for those who are open to projections, taking a look at how the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) went through could provide a better picture.

The virus started spreading in China back in December, forcing the CBA to place its season on hold. Several foreign players were sent home and the country was entirely on pause. In a previous post, it was mentioned that the CBA is now recalling players in preparation for a potential April resumption of play. Looking at the timeline, it took roughly around three months for the CBA to start again but with necessary preventive measures in place.

But of course, the scenario then compared to the one right now is entirely different. The coronavirus has spread rapidly and left most of the world paralyzed. Further, several NBA players have been diagnosed with the virus. This includes Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz.

The NBA could take alternative measures like cutting the rest of the regular season and directly heading into the playoffs. Of course, most know that teams like the New Orleans Pelicans and the Washington Wizards are still trying to make a last-ditch effort to reach the playoffs. Teams still in the running could be allowed to play but the fact here is that the NBA does not have the benefit of time.

If the NBA were to follow the CBA's timeline, the league could restart by May at the earliest. This could have dire repercussions on the NBA playoffs unless the league makes further tweaks on games and series matchups. If all else fails, seeing the entire season scrapped looms - something no NBA fan will want to happen.