It’s been a week since the NBA suspended its games due to the coronavirus outbreak, and basketball fans are hungry for anything. The world’s daily lives are basically on shutdown too, so there’s nothing to distract them from the lack of hoop action.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver and the league’s entire brass understand the fans’ frustration, and has revealed that they are mulling over holding a charity game amid the hiatus. Here’s what the commish told ESPN’s Rachel Nichols in an interview Thursday:

“One of the things we have been talking about are there conditions in which a group of players can compete for a giant fundraiser for the collective good of the people.”

Adam Silver

Is there a protocol where the players can be tested, quarantined or isolated in some way and they can compete against each other? Because people are stuck at home and I think they need a diversion and I think they need to be entertained.”

Adam Silver

Seven NBA players are currently known to be infected with COVID-19 (Utah Jazz All-Stars Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, Detroit Pistons big man Christian Wood, and four Brooklyn Nets players, all of whom are still unnamed except for superstar forward Kevin Durant), and teams across the league are still awaiting for test results.

So, while it doesn’t look like regular NBA basketball is going to resume anytime soon, and the suspension will most likely surpass the reported re-evaluation date on April 12th, Silver’s recent statements are intriguing. It’s always good to see the best ballers in the world battle it out, regardless if it’s an exhibition. Last month’s super intense All-Star Game between Team LeBron and Team Giannis is a prime example.

The recent All-Star showdown had a narrative that everyone’s locked in to play their hearts out for NBA legend and Hall-of-Famer, Kobe Bryant, who passed away weeks before the contest. Should the one-off (or tournament) game push through, it will have a similar vibe as the world is on high alert for weeks now, and witnessing world-class athletes take the floor will help bring some normalcy back, albeit for a limited time.

Like video games, sports are used as an escape from reality, even for only a couple of hours. In a time where people are falling ill, feeling afraid, and being forced to stay at home by their governments, a game like this would be awesome.

League superstars LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, James Harden, and Kawhi Leonard, among others sharing the court will help cure everyone’s basketball withdrawal – including theirs – and what’s even better is it will be for charity.

There are a couple of hurdles, as well. Some stars, like Steph Curry, might not be able to play, because their teams are not actively testing healthy players with no symptoms. This stance is in solidarity with American people who are not wealthy or well connected who are not able to get tests even though they are showing obvious symptoms.

As for the NBA’s official return, based on the rate of how everyone is suddenly getting contracted with the virus, the probable date is between May and… brace yourself… August. Just thinking about it is tough, but it’s important to assure everyone’s safety first. Also, once they go back to the regular NBA routine, it’s best to know that they’ll be in there for the long run.