Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban Reacts to NBA Suspending Season: 'This is Crazy, This Can't be True

On Wednesday night, the NBA suspended play until further notice following the conclusion of Wednesday's games after a player on the Utah Jazz tested positive for coronavirus. 

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was at his team's game against the Nuggets when he learned of the news. 

"This is crazy. This can't be true," Cuban told ESPN's Tom Rinaldi of his initial reaction. "I mean, it's not within the realm of possibility. It seemed more like out of a movie than reality."

The news came after a player on the Utah Jazz has preliminarily tested positive for coronavirus. The player is Jazz center Rudy Gobert, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania.

Per the NBA, the test result was reported shortly before tip-off of Wednesday's game between the Jazz and Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena. The affected player was not in the arena.

After taking part in normal warmups, players from both the Jazz and Thunder walked off the court just before tip-off, beginning what was a more than 30-minute delay. The game was eventually called off.

"I trust Adam," Cuban said. "It's really not about basketball or money. Literally if this thing is just exploding to the point where all of a sudden players and others have had it. You think about your family. You really wanna make sure you're doing this the right way 'cause now it's much more personal.

"Just stunning isn't the right word. Just crazy."

Other members of the NBA community were shocked in the wake of the announcement. 

In recent days, the spread of coronavirus has impacted countless sporting events throughout the world. A number teams and leagues have taken steps to try and prevent the spread of COVID-19. Multiple high-profile tournaments as well as individual games have restricted fan access while others have postponed or cancelled events entirely.

The Athletic's Sam Amick reported Wednesday afternoon that the NBA has considered a number of possible alternatives in light of the compounding COVID-19 virus, including pushing its season back.

The league has reportedly been asking teams to give their arena schedules through the end of July, indicating the possibility of postponing play for at least a month is being explored. Typically, the NBA postseason ends in early June.