The NBA was already facing a decline in projected revenues this season due to its situation with China, but the impact of the coronavirus will be much more significant both in terms of likely loss gate receipts and the probability of a overall decline in the economy.

Teams typically receive deposits on season ticket renewals this time of year and may hold off on charging fans due to the uncertainity with the global economy amid the ongoing pandemic. 

"Everyone wants to get paid here: the players, the teams, the owners," said Adrian Wojnarowski on his podcast. "They want to play as many games as they can here so the financial hit is as limited as possible. It may not be possible and they may not have control over that. This is a year in which, I think financially for the owners and... health and the well-being people is... I believe is the number one priority. It has to be, but money plays a part because it does in everything.

"I think the league could have survived the hit on China financially with a bigger hit for Houston than it was for other teams. I think everybody was going to feel it just a little bit. This will be a much bigger percentage: whether it's television revenue, gate receipts, sponsorships and all the things going forward.

"This is the time of year when teams are clicking people's credit cards on renewals for next season. Some teams might put those through. Some, I'm told, may not. They may hold off on depositing that money right now in the wake of this. There's a lot at stake.

"The league, more than gate receipts ultimately, it's getting the games on television. Whether it's the regional networks and then the national deals that Turner, ESPN... Getting games in the postseason on TV and to that end, knowing that it is 'likely', 'possible', 'certain', wherever you want to fall on it, that if the games resume, they will probably do so without fans in the arena, at least initially. The league is open to not having these games in arenas."