© Vickie Connor/The Desert Sun via Imagn Content Services, LLC
With billions of dollars on the line, the NBA has been working to get teams back on the court to finish out the 2019-20 season. It appears the association is now one step closer to that goal.
On Thursday, Stadium’s Shams Charania reported that the NBA has contacted teams about a league-wide coronavirus testing program.
The NBA has begun preparing teams for a leaguewide coronavirus testing program, reports our Insider @ShamsCharania. pic.twitter.com/uhFcteRzH0
— Stadium (@Stadium) May 21, 2020
“The NBA told its teams Thursday that it is in conversations with several national coronavirus testing providers,” Charania said in a video posted to Twitter. “This is a step towards a regular testing protocol. As commissioner Adam Silver told players on a call this month, the league believes it needs a significant amount of testing if it is to complete the remainder of the season.”
Charania reported that the league has asked teams to create accounts with BioReference Laboratories, LabCorp, Quest Diagnostics and Vault Health/RUCDR Infinite Biologics at Rutgers. Using private companies like these would ensure COVID-19 tests wouldn’t be taken from those on the front line of the battle with the virus.
It’s been widely reported that the NBA is considering finishing the remainder of the season by playing all games in two cities: likely Las Vegas and Orlando. Players would be subject to frequent testing in order to be able to play.
There’s still a long way to go until (and if) basketball officially returns, but it seems like the NBA is doing everything in its power to expedite the process.