NBA, And Indiana Pacers, Season Suspended As Players Around The League Test Positive For Coronavirus

The NBA and the G League have suspended their seasons. On Wednesday, the league announced that games would no longer be played "until further notice" after Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for coronavirus.

The following day, the NBA announced the tentative length of the suspension. "What we determined today is that this hiatus will be most likely at least 30 days," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. "We wanted to give direction to our players and teams, and to our fans, that this is going to be roughly at least a month."

Gobert was tested for the virus on Wednesday, per The Athletic, which confirmed the diagnosis. While it is not known specifically how he contracted the rapidly-spreading virus, it has been determined that one of Gobert's teammates, All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell, also tested positive for it.

Any team that faced off with Utah in the 10 days prior to the determination that the two players have coronavirus are being "told to self-quarantine," per ESPN's Brian Windhorst. There are five teams in this group: the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks, and Toronto Raptors.

No reports indicate additional quarantining, so it is unknown if the organizations that matched up with any of those five squads in the past 10 days need to quarantine. That is where the Indiana Pacers would come into play.

The Pacers have played four of those teams since the All-Star break, and two of them (Cleveland and Boston) in the past two weeks. Indiana hosted Boston just a few days ago in Bankers Life Fieldhouse, marking the final Pacers game with fans in attendance for the foreseeable future.

Per Shams Charania of The Athletic, the association created a list of rules that players must abide by until March 16. That list, per Charania, includes the following:

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1. All players must remain in market of team (Indianapolis for the Pacers).
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2. Players are to remain home as long as possible.
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3. No group workouts or practices.
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4. Team physicians/trainers speak to each player once a day.

The Pacers released an official statement the night that the suspension was announced, saying:

"Earlier tonight the NBA suspended play for the 2019-20 season. With the unexpected news, we are working to provide information to our fans who have tickets for upcoming Pacers home games. We will continue to provide updates as they become available. Thank you for your continued support."

In the meantime, precautions are being taken by the organization. Scott Agness, a Pacers beat reporter for The Athletic, detailed that an advanced scout for the the team is no longer travelling. Additionally, according to Charania, all teams have been encouraged to "conduct educational meeting for players/staff with physicians to discuss coronavirus situation" by Monday.

Like other teams in the league, the time off from the suspension will allow Pacers players to heal from previously acquired injuries. Indiana could really use that - starting point guard Malcolm Brogdon is currently recovering from torn left rectus femoris and multiple other players have missed time in recent weeks. This break will grant these players needed time to get their body right for the stretch run of the season (should it be completed). Every organization in the league has this benefit, but the Pacers get more from it due to the length and severity of their current injury list.

It isn't totally clear what the next steps are for the Indiana Pacers and for the NBA. Public health must be the number one priority during this pandemic. Until there is a clear road ahead, don't expect the Pacers, or any NBA team, to play basketball games.