The NBA is still in suspension after Rudy Gobert tested positive for the new coronavirus before the game between the Utah Jazz and the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 11.

ESPN reporter Royce Young who follows OKC was on site at the Chesapeake Energy Arena that day. Tencent Sports reached out to him and had a discussion over several key issues.

What was Young's first reaction when he learned that Gobert tested positive for the virus?

Instead of fear, Young felt first that the COVID-19 pandemic really happened. He knew that it would blow not just the NBA, but the sports world. It was shocking, unbelievable but everything happened ahead of that game convinced him that the disease's real.

Is there any difference to a reporter's job dealing with emergency events like Gobert testing positive?

In fact, before the Jazz-Thunder game, the league had banned reporters from entering the locker room. Young said he started to pay attention to details that he had never thought about before. For example, every player will touch the ball in the game so the ball may not be clean. Young revealed that since that moment, game results ceased to matter much, how to contain the pandemic is much more important.

Should reporters be wearing masks doing interviews during the pandemic?

Due to the current situation, Young does not have the opportunity of interviewing anyone at the moment, but he believes wearing a mask is totally necessary when the league allows face-to-face interviews in the future.

How are things in OKC?

Though confirmed cases are surging on a daily basis in Oklahoma City, Young said people are doing well with preventive measures. Masks are being used and most people choose to stay at home to avoid contact with others. Gobert's positive test result worked as a reminder to make people take the virus seriously.

What's the influence of the pandemic on the NBA's future?

Young believes that everything will be back to normal eventually but the question is when. In the short term, the league will be affected in many ways. For example, revenues will drop, and so will the salary cap. Teams that bet everything this season to chase the championship may be hurt. Some of the veteran players may not be able to finish the season.

What will happen to the rest of the regular season? Will there be playoffs?

Young said there are good reasons to remain positive because everyone – team owners, players, fans – wants the season to resume. As long as it is theoretically possible, the league will try to figure something out.

How much will the pandemic hurt players' salaries next season?

Young said that if the playoffs are canceled this season, it will reduce the salary cap heavily. The salary cap is determined by revenues and no games means no revenue. The playoffs are the best money-making events of the NBA, cancelling them means saying goodbye to tons of money. Not only team incomes will be affected, off-season signings will not be immune. A drop in salary caps will change the league's pattern in a dramatic way.