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Tim BontempsESPN
The Toronto Raptors said Friday night that the entire travel party from the team’s last game Monday night in Salt Lake City was tested for the coronavirus on Wednesday, and that all but one person’s test has come back negative. The remaining person’s test is still pending.
The team went on to say, however, that the travel party will remain in self-isolation for 14 days, as recommended by Toronto Public Health in the wake of finding out they had come in contact with a person known to have the virus.
The Raptors were the last team to play the Utah Jazz — who have two players, Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, who tested positive for the coronavirus Wednesday — before the NBA’s regular season was suspended Wednesday night. In the wake of that news becoming public, Raptors players and coaches spent Wednesday night and into the early hours of Thursday morning scrambling to get tested for the virus.
“We will all practice social distancing and good hand hygiene, and — most importantly — carefully monitor our health,” the Raptors said in the statement.
“We continue to be in close contact with public health authorities and infectious disease experts, and are very grateful for their guidance. As always, we appreciate the support of our fans, families, and friends.”
The NBA announced Thursday that the league would be halted for a 30-day period, at which point the possibility of resuming activities would be revisited. In an interview with TNT Thursday night, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver didn’t rule out the possibility that the entire season could be canceled, depending on how things develop over the next few weeks and months.
“Of course the issue becomes now, what we determined today, is that this hiatus will be most likely at least 30 days,” Silver said. “And we don’t know enough to be more specific than that. But we wanted to give direction to our players and teams and fans that this is going to be roughly at least a month.
“But then the question becomes is there a protocol frankly with or without fans in which we can resume play,” Silver continued. “I think the goal [is] … what makes sense here without compromising anyone’s safety. It’s frankly too early to tell.”