NEW YORK (AP) — Top NBA executives are having their base salaries reduced by 20% for the foreseeable future, a person with knowledge of the details said Thursday.The reductions affect the roughly 100 highest-earning executives, as the NBA joins the NHL and NASCAR in cutting salaries while competitions are on hold because of the coronavirus.The cuts are effective immediately and affect NBA employees both inside the league headquarters in New York, and in global offices, the person told The Associated Press. The person was granted anonymity because the reductions were not announced publicly.The reductions were first reported by ESPN.Health benefits remain unaffected and there are no changes for the rest of the organization, including support and administrative staff.The NBA suspended its season on March 11 when Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz became the first player to test positive. The league is still discussing scenarios for resuming play once allowed. It had already been a challenging season... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Top NBA executives are having their base salaries reduced by 20% for the foreseeable future, a person with knowledge of the details said Thursday.The reductions affect the roughly 100 highest-earning executives, as the NBA joins the NHL and NASCAR in cutting salaries while competitions are on hold because of the coronavirus.The cuts are effective immediately and affect NBA employees both inside the league headquarters in New York, and in global offices, the person told The Associated Press. The person was granted anonymity because the reductions were not announced publicly.The reductions were first reported by ESPN.Health benefits remain unaffected and there are no changes for the rest of the organization, including support and administrative staff.The NBA suspended its season on March 11 when Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz became the first player to test positive. The league is still discussing scenarios for resuming play once allowed.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns says his mother is hospitalized and in a medically-induced coma after contracting the coronavirus. Towns talked about the condition of his mother, Jacqueline Cruz, Wednesday on his Instagram page. He urged his followers to take COVID-19 seriously and practice social distancing. Towns said both his parents went to the hospital recently and were tested for the disease. While his father was released and told to quarantine at home, his mother's condition deteriorated to the point where she was put on a ventilator and placed in a coma.“She just wasn’t getting better,” Towns said. “Her fever wasn’t cutting from 103. It’d maybe go down to 101.9 with the meds then immediately spike back up during the night. She was very uncomfortable. Her lungs were getting worse, cough was getting worse. She was deteriorating in front of our eyes.”Towns said he's trying to remain positive attitude as his family deals with the situation. “My mother, she’s the strongest woman I know and I know she’ll beat this,” Towns said. “We’re going to rejoice when she does.”For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death. The majority of people recover from the virus.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns says his mother is hospitalized and in a medically-induced coma after contracting the new coronavirus. Towns talked about the condition of his mother, Jacqueline Cruz, early Wednesday on his Instagram page and urged his followers to take COVID-19 seriously and practice social distancing. Towns said both his parents went to the hospital recently and were tested for the disease. While his father was released and told to quarantine at home, his mother's condition deteriorated to the point where she was put on a ventilator and placed in a coma.“She just wasn’t getting better,” Towns said. “Her fever wasn’t cutting from 103. It’d maybe go down to 101.9 with the meds then immediately spike back up during the night. She was very uncomfortable. Her lungs were getting worse, cough was getting worse. She was deteriorating in front of our eyes.”Towns said he's trying to remain positive attitude as his family deals with the situation. “My mother, she’s the strongest woman I know and I know she’ll beat this,” Towns said. “We’re going to rejoice when she does.”For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.

The number of known coronavirus cases within the NBA doubled to 14 on Thursday, when Marcus Smart of the Boston Celtics pleaded with people to take social distancing more seriously and the league ordered all teams to shutter their training facilities indefinitely.Smart revealed that he tested positive and the Los Angeles Lakers said two of their players tested positive as well, bringing the number of players who have acquired the virus to 10. The Philadelphia 76ers said three members of their organization tested positive and the Denver Nuggets said someone within their franchise was positive as well.The 76ers and Nuggets did not say if the affected people were players, coaches or other staff.“I’ve had no symptoms and I feel great,” Smart said on Twitter. “But the younger generation in our country MUST self distance. This is not a joke. Not doing so is selfish. Together we can beat this, but we must beat it together by being apart for a short while.”The league wants its teams to keep distance... [More]

The number of known coronavirus cases within the NBA doubled to 14 on Thursday, when Marcus Smart of the Boston Celtics pleaded with people to take social distancing more seriously and the league ordered all teams to shutter their training facilities indefinitely.Smart revealed that he tested positive and the Los Angeles Lakers said two of their players tested positive as well, bringing the number of players who have acquired the virus to 10. The Philadelphia 76ers said three members of their organization tested positive and the Denver Nuggets said someone within their franchise was positive as well.The 76ers and Nuggets did not say if the affected people were players, coaches or other staff.“I’ve had no symptoms and I feel great,” Smart said on Twitter. “But the younger generation in our country MUST self distance. This is not a joke. Not doing so is selfish. Together we can beat this, but we must beat it together by being apart for a short while.”The league wants its teams to keep distance... [More]

The NBA has told its teams to close their training and practice facilities to all players and staff starting Friday, a development that came on a day where four more teams revealed they have had players or staff test positive for the coronavirus.The Los Angeles Lakers said Thursday that two of their players tested positive, and Marcus Smart of the Boston Celtics said he tested positive as well. Those revelations came after the Philadelphia 76ers said three members of their organization and the Denver Nuggets said someone within their franchise also tested positive.The Lakers, 76ers and Nuggets all opted to not identify those who tested positive. The 76ers and Nuggets also did not reveal if the positive tests were linked to a player, coach or another level of staff.Smart said he waited five days for his test results.“I've been self-quarantined since the test, thank goodness," Smart said on Twitter. “COVID-19 must be taken with the highest level of seriousness. I know it's a #1 priority for... [More]

The NBA has told its teams to close its training and practice facilities to all players and staff starting Friday, saying the shuttering will last indefinitely in the latest response to the coronavirus pandemic.The league told teams of the new directive in a memo sent Thursday afternoon, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press. As recently as Monday, the NBA was telling teams that individual workouts could take place using what the league called the “one player, one coach, one basket" rule.Now, that's not even permitted. If players are going to work out during the league's shutdown, they'll have to do it at home or some other private facility.The NBA said it was updating the guidelines “in light of the rapidly-developing coronavirus situation, and consistent with evolving advice from health experts regarding how to promote individual and public health while minimizing the spread of the virus." It further recommended that players “should take aggressive measures to avoid contact... [More]

It has been just one week.That’s all. Just one full week since Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19, just one full week since the NBA became the first of the North American pro sports leagues to suspend operations, one week since sports essentially stopped.The NHL quickly followed the NBA’s lead and suspended play. Major League Soccer and Major League Baseball shuttered as well. Golf lasted a day before deciding it couldn’t still play, and auto racing screeched to a halt before the weekend. The NCAA basketball tournaments were called off and college sports for the entirety of the academic year soon followed.The situation, when it comes to the pro sports at least, is different for the NBA and NHL. The playoffs were looming, roughly a month or so away. They’re on hold now, just like virtually everything else in the world, and the only opponent for the best basketball and hockey teams on the planet is an invisible foe called COVID-19 — the coronavirus, a pandemic that... [More]

The NBA has told its teams to close its training and practice facilities to all players and staff starting Friday, saying the shuttering will last indefinitely in the latest response to the coronavirus pandemic.The league told teams of the new directive in a memo sent Thursday afternoon, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press. As recently as Monday, the NBA was telling teams that individual workouts could take place using what the league called the “one player, one coach, one basket" rule.Now, that's not even permitted. If players are going to work out during the league's shutdown, they'll have to do it at home or some other private facility.The NBA said it was updating the guidelines “in light of the rapidly-developing coronavirus situation, and consistent with evolving advice from health experts regarding how to promote individual and public health while minimizing the spread of the virus." It further recommended that players “should take aggressive measures to avoid contact... [More]

It has been just one week.That’s all. Just one full week since Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19, just one full week since the NBA became the first of the North American pro sports leagues to suspend operations, one week since sports essentially stopped.The NHL quickly followed the NBA’s lead and suspended play. Major League Soccer and Major League Baseball shuttered as well. Golf lasted a day before deciding it couldn’t still play, and auto racing screeched to a halt before the weekend. The NCAA basketball tournaments were called off and college sports for the entirety of the academic year soon followed.The situation, when it comes to the pro sports at least, is different for the NBA and NHL. The playoffs were looming, roughly a month or so away. They’re on hold now, just like virtually everything else in the world, and the only opponent for the best basketball and hockey teams on the planet is an invisible foe called COVID-19 — the coronavirus, a pandemic that... [More]

The NBA has told its teams to close its training and practice facilities to all players and staff starting Friday, saying the shuttering will last indefinitely in the latest response to the coronavirus pandemic.The league told teams of the new directive in a memo sent Thursday afternoon, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press. As recently as Monday, the NBA was telling teams that individual workouts could take place using what the league called the “one player, one coach, one basket" rule.Now, that's not even permitted. If players are going to work out during the league's shutdown, they'll have to do it at home or some other private facility.The NBA said it was updating the guidelines “in light of the rapidly-developing coronavirus situation, and consistent with evolving advice from health experts regarding how to promote individual and public health while minimizing the spread of the virus." It further recommended that players “should take aggressive measures to avoid contact... [More]

It has been just one week.That’s all. Just one full week since Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19, just one full week before the NBA became the first of the North American pro sports leagues to suspend operations, one week since sports essentially stopped.The NHL quickly followed the NBA’s lead and suspended play. Major League Soccer and Major League Baseball shuttered as well. Golf lasted a day before deciding it couldn’t still play, and auto racing screeched to a halt before the weekend. The NCAA basketball tournaments were called off and college sports for the entirety of the academic year soon followed.The situation, when it comes to the pro sports at least, is different for the NBA and NHL. The playoffs were looming, roughly a month or so away. They’re on hold now, just like virtually everything else in the world, and the only opponent for the best basketball and hockey teams on the planet is an invisible foe called COVID-19 — the coronavirus, a pandemic that... [More]

The NBA is considering an idea where some players would be quarantined or isolated for purposes of being able to compete against one another and provide basketball fans with some sort of diversion from the coronavirus pandemic.NBA Commissioner Adam Silver revealed that notion as one of several items under consideration by the league right now during the shutdown caused by the pandemic. Silver made the comments in a televised interview on ESPN.“Maybe it’s for a giant fundraiser or just for the collective good of the people,” Silver said. “You take a subset of players and is there a protocol in which they can be tested and quarantined and isolated in some way. ... People are stuck at home. They need a diversion. They need to be entertained.”Silver offered no predictions on when NBA games would resume. He said the league may, when conditions allow, resume games but without fans — a move the league was going to make last week before Utah’s Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19 and prompted... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles Clippers guard Terance Mann has had surgery to repair a ligament in his right hand, the team said Wednesday. The surgery was performed Tuesday. Mann was injured during a game on March 8 while on assignment with the team's G League affiliate in Ontario, California. No timetable for his return has been set.Mann has averaged 1.6 points and 1.1 assists in 35 games for the Clippers this season. The first-year guard out of Florida State played 20 games in the G League, averaging 15.4 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — Four Brooklyn Nets players, including Kevin Durant, have tested positive for the new coronavirus, bringing the total to seven known players in the NBA.The Nets did not name the players Tuesday, but Durant told The Athletic he was one of them, saying: “Everyone be careful, take care of yourself and quarantine. We're going to get through this.”The Nets announced that one player is exhibiting symptoms, while the other three are asymptomatic. All four players have been isolated and are under the care of team physicians.“The health of our players and staff is of the highest priority to the organization and the team is doing everything within its power to ensure that those affected receive the best care possible,” the Nets said in a statement.Brooklyn's most recent game was March 10 in Los Angeles against the Lakers. After the Nets announced their test results, the Lakers — who have the NBA's second-best record this season and two of the game's biggest stars in LeBron James and... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Four Brooklyn Nets players, including Kevin Durant, have tested positive for the new coronavirus, bringing the total to seven known players in the NBA.The Nets did not name the players Tuesday, but Durant told The Athletic he was one of them, saying: “Everyone be careful, take care of yourself and quarantine. We're going to get through this.”The Nets announced that one player is exhibiting symptoms, while the other three are asymptomatic. All four players have been isolated and are under the care of team physicians.“The health of our players and staff is of the highest priority to the organization and the team is doing everything within its power to ensure that those affected receive the best care possible,” the Nets said in a statement.For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Four Brooklyn Nets players, including Kevin Durant, have tested positive for the new coronavirus, bringing the total to seven known players in the NBA.The Nets did not name the players Tuesday, but Durant confirmed he was one of them to The Athletic, saying: “Everyone be careful, take care of yourself and quarantine. We're going to get through this.”The Nets announced that one player is exhibiting symptoms, while the other three are asymptomatic. All four players have been isolated and are under the care of team physicians.“The health of our players and staff is of the highest priority to the organization and the team is doing everything within its power to ensure that those affected receive the best care possible,” the Nets said in a statement.For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Four Brooklyn Nets players have tested positive for the new coronavirus, bringing the total to seven known players in the NBA.The team announced Tuesday that one player is exhibiting symptoms, while the other three are asymptomatic. All four players have been isolated and are under the care of team physicians.The Nets added that all players and members of their travel party are being asked to remain isolated and closely monitor their health.“The health of our players and staff is of the highest priority to the organization and the team is doing everything within its power to ensure that those affected receive the best care possible,” the Nets added in a statement.Brooklyn last played on March 10 in Los Angeles, beating the Lakers. The Nets were then to face the Golden State Warriors two nights later in San Francisco — a game that was to be played without fans — before the NBA season was suspended after Utah's Rudy Gobert tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.Jazz teammate... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Four Brooklyn Nets players have tested positive for the new coronavirus, bringing the total to seven known players in the NBA.The team announced Tuesday that one player is exhibiting symptoms, while the other three are asymptomatic. All four players have been isolated and are under the care of team physicians.The Nets added that all players and members of their travel party are being asked to remain isolated and closely monitor their health.Brooklyn last played on March 10 in Los Angeles, beating the Lakers. The Nets were then to face the Golden State Warriors two nights later in San Francisco before the NBA season was suspended after Utah's Rudy Gobert tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.Jazz teammate Donovan Mitchell and Detroit's Christian Wood are the other players who have tested positive.For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. ___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports