Silver won't pause NBA season: We 'have to learn to live with' coronavirus

Despite the COVID-19 virus spreading across the league, NBA commissioner Adam Silver has no plans on pausing the season.

"We've, of course, looked at all the options, but frankly, we're having trouble coming up with what the logic would be behind pausing right now," Silver told ESPN's Malika Andrews on Tuesday's edition of "NBA Today."

Silver added: "This virus will not be eradicated, and we're going to have to learn to live with it."

More than 100 NBA players have entered the league's health and safety protocols in December, per ESPN's Baxter Holmes. Silver said the omicron variant accounts for approximately 90% of the NBA's COVID-19 cases.

"It's beyond dominant in the league right now," Silver said.

Silver reiterated that around 97% of NBA players are fully vaccinated, with approximately 65% of those eligible having received their booster shot. The commissioner said only a "very small number" of individuals who had all three COVID-19 vaccine doses had breakthrough cases.

Silver added that the league is also looking into reducing the 10-day health and safety protocol mandate for those who are vaccinated and boosted in the event they test positive for the virus.

"It seems that the virus runs through their systems faster," Silver said. "They become, not just asymptomatic, but more importantly, they're not shedding the virus anymore. That's the real concern in terms of others."