The NBA will reportedly raise its credit line by $550 million in an effort to help the league deal with the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic and the suspension of the 2019-20 season.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the NBA discussed a plan to raise its credit line from $650 million to $1.2 billion during a Tuesday call with the league's board of governors. The call also featured former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, who suggested the resumption of play anytime before June is unlikely at best.
"Basically, [Dr. Murthy] said: The only good news is that people are starting to stay home," a high-ranking league official said. "No one left that call thinking we could be playing anytime soon."
Wojnarowski noted the league is considering a number of contingency plans even though there is plenty of remaining uncertainty with how the situation will develop in the coming weeks and months.
Playing a handful of regular-season games before shortening the early playoff series to best-of-five is one of those options.
The coronavirus, which has largely led to a halt of the sports world, has infected more than 184,000 people globally, per the World Health Organization . It has also led to more than 7,500 deaths.
The NBA suspended its season after Utah Jazz big man Rudy Gobert tested positive. Since then, teammate Donovan Mitchell and four members of the Brooklyn Nets are among those who have also tested positive, per Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press.
Kevin Durant told Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium he is one of those four Nets who tested positive.
The league is in a state of uncertainty at this point but is taking steps to help face the impending financial difficulties of the hiatus.
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