When the NBA Season Resumes, Sixers Could End Up Playing Outside of Philly
Just last week, the Philadelphia 76ers returned home after a four-game road trip on the West Coast to face the Detroit Pistons. Although the idea of playing in an empty arena due to the coronavirus outbreak was being kicked around, the NBA never forced the rule of preventing fans from attending games before last Wednesday.
As it turns out, that win over the Pistons would be the Sixers' final matchup in quite some time. As Utah Jazz star Rudy Gobert initially tested positive for COVID-19, the NBA suspended the season indefinitely. Now, the league is looking to re-evaluate the situation in 30 days to figure out when they are able to resume play.
Recent reports indicate that a return in 30 days is highly unlikely. In fact, basketball could be on a hiatus until mid-June, and many are expecting the season to potentially stretch all the way into August. The most unfortunate part about the return from the break also happens to be the idea that when the NBA is ready to resume, there's a good chance that fans won't be able to attend games for quite some time, still.
ESPN's NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski recently discussed what's going on behind the scenes among the NBA and its team owners. And the most significant tidbit he had to offer was that it is believed "initially" games will resume "without fans in the arena."
Because of that, it will be suggested that teams search for other venues to play in as well. Considering an arena of 20,000-plus seats is unnecessary to play in without fans, the league is reportedly looking at G League arenas and practice facilities as an option. If the Sixers go that route, they could end up playing in Wilmington, Delaware, where their affiliates, the Blue Coats play. Or Camden, New Jersey, where the team practices.
At this time, no plans are officially set-in-stone as the NBA still weighs out all options. However, by the sounds of all the recent reports coming out, it sure sounds like the NBA is trending towards resuming the season with a TV-only presentation as the country aims to keep crowds minimized to stop the spreading of the coronavirus.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_
