Sources: G League year expected to be canceled

Mar 15, 2020

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  ESPN Staff Writer

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  • Joined ESPN in 2018
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NBA teams operating G League franchises expect the rest of the minor league season will be canceled because of the coronavirus outbreak, sources tell ESPN.

Teams have been told to stay in their respective towns through Monday and that the league would provide more guidance to them. The NBA is likely to wait on a formal announcement on the end of the G League season, but teams are operating under a belief that they've played their final game this season, sources said.

The G-League operates 28 teams and has a regular season that extends through the end of March and playoffs through mid-April. The season was suspended last Wednesday because of the coronavirus.

Players were informed over the weekend that they would be receiving their entire base salary, according to a memo obtained by ESPN.

The G League's continued viability for the season is complicated because of teams' use of commercial airliners and the fact that the operations of these teams are a financial strain on NBA teams. NBA owners are bracing for significant financial losses this season.

The Center for Disease Control has noted that COVID-19 spreads easily among people who are in close proximity to someone who is ill. In some cases, a person who has the coronavirus might not exhibit symptoms. Because there is limited access to testing in the United States, a person could have the virus without knowing it. Commercial airline travel could expose passengers, including players and coaches.