Report: NBA owners discuss plan to start 2020-21 season before Christmas in home arenas
Kings basketball might be back before Christmas.
The NBA’s board of governors reportedly met Friday to discuss plans for the 2020-21 season, including the possibility of starting the season sooner than previously expected. ESPN reported the NBA and team owners are discussing plans to play a shortened season in home arenas with a possible start date in the days leading up to Christmas.
Sources told The Athletic’s Shams Charania the NBA is targeting Dec. 22, a move that would allow the league to capitalize on its traditional slate of nationally televised showcase games on Christmas Day. The plan would reportedly call for 72 regular-season games. Provisions could be put in place to limit travel for each team. The league also is continuing to discuss tournament and play-in scenarios, according to ESPN.
Any plan would require the approval of the National Basketball Players Association.
The Kings are preparing for their first season under general manager Monte McNair, who was hired to replace Vlade Divac. The NBA Draft will be held Nov. 18. Free agency is expected to begin shortly thereafter, although the date has not been announced and the salary cap for the 2020-21 season has not been established.
The NBA suspended the 2019-20 season on March 11 due to the coronavirus pandemic and restarted the season July 30 under strict COVID-19 protocols in the Orlando bubble. The Kings were eliminated in August after failing to reach the Western Conference playoffs. The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals earlier this month to conclude the season. No players tested positive during the NBA’s stay at Walt Disney World Resort.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said last month the league’s goal for 2020-21 was to play a standard 82-game season and playoffs “in home arenas, in front of fans.” Silver previously pointed to the possibility of starting the season at a later date in hopes of allowing fans to attend games. That seems unlikely in the immediate future due to coronavirus projections and COVID-19 restrictions in most NBA markets, although fans could be permitted in some arenas. The Athletic reported that arena protocols when fans are allowed to return could include better air purifiers and COVID-19 testing for those in courtside seats.
This story was originally published October 23, 2020 at 3:29 PM.
