Getty Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban.
On Wednesday night, the NBA announced that they would be suspending NBA play after Jazz All-Star center Rudy Gobert tested positive for Coronavirus. It was discovered that Gobert had the virus before the Jazz game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
After it was clear that there was a positive test, the Thunder’s head medical staffer sprinted onto the floor to talk to referees in Oklahoma City. Players were later instructed to return to their locker rooms.
.@royceyoung reports that the Thunder-Jazz game was seconds away from tipping off when the Thunder’s head medical staffer sprinted onto the floor to talk to referees in Oklahoma City.
At that point, players and staff were sent back to their respective locker rooms.
When the news started to spread that the NBA was canceling games, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was clearly shocked after reading the story.
Mark Cuban reacts moments after the NBA season was suspended.
Cuban would then be interviewed by ESPN and shared that “I’m pretty sure everybody is aware at this point,” Mavericks owner Mark Cuban told ESPN in a mid-game interview. “Guys are talking about it on the bench.”
“I trust Adam,” Cuban said. “It’s not about basketball or money, really. Literally, if this thing is just exploding to the point where all of a sudden NBA players and others have had it, you think about your family. You want to make sure you’re doing this the right way. Now it’s much more personal. The whole idea, it’s come this close, potentiality a couple of players have it, it’s stunning.”
Cuban was on ESPN’s Get up on Thursday morning and shared that he could see games being played into July and even August.
“I can easily see us playing the last seven to 10 games of the regular season to get everybody back on [the] court and going right into the playoffs and going into July, if not August,” Cuban said.
The Dallas Mavericks have 15 games left on their regular-season schedule and will have to work with their television partners when games resume.
“The only reason we haven’t played games after June 12 in the past is because of TV partners,” Cuban said. “As you guys know, the households using television in the summer drop significantly. Well, the TV landscape has changed dramatically in the last three years, four years. And so those numbers and those equations have all changed significantly.”
Mark Cuban does not think the NBA season will be cancelled, just postponed, and could see games being played into August.
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Donovan Mitchell Test Positive for the Coronavirus
All-Star Donovan Mitchell has reportedly tested positive as well, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Jazz players privately say that Rudy Gobert had been careless in the locker room, touching other players and their belongings. Now a Jazz teammate has tested positive.
Jazz star Donovan Mitchell has tested positive for the coronavirus, league sources tell ESPN. Jazz players privately say that Rudy Gobert had been careless in the locker room touching other players and their belongings. Now a Jazz teammate has tested positive.
Mitchell earlier today, took to Instagram to thank everyone for reaching out after hearing the news.
Thanks to everyone who has been reaching out since hearing the news about my positive test. We are all learning more about the seriousness of this situation. Hopefully, people can continue to educate themselves and realize that they need to behave responsibly both for their own health and for the well being of those around them,” said Mitchell. “I appreciate the authorities in Oklahoma who were helpful with the testing process and everyone from the Utah Jazz who have been so supportive. I am going to keep following the advice of our medical staff and hope that we can all come together and be there for each other and our neighbors who need our help.”
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