Source: Players approve 2020-21 NBA season start date, but financial terms not finalized
The Kings could start the 2020-21 NBA season just in time for Christmas under a plan approved late Thursday by the National Basketball Players Association.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported the players association voted to tentatively approve an NBA proposal to play a 72-game season beginning Dec. 22. A league source told The Sacramento Bee that while players had agreed to the start date for the new season, financial terms and details pertaining to the salary cap still had to be finalized.
The players association issued a statement late Thursday night.
“The Board of Player Representatives of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) has tentatively approved a start date of Dec. 22, 2020 for the 2020-21 NBA season and a 72-game schedule,” the NBPA said. “Additional details remain to be negotiated and the NBPA is confident that the parties will reach agreement on these remaining issues relevant to the upcoming season.”
Wojnarowski reported the trade moratorium will be lifted shortly before the Nov. 18 NBA Draft. At that time, new Kings general manager Monte McNair will be free to begin reshaping his roster nearly two months after coming to Sacramento to replace Vlade Divac as head of basketball operations.
ESPN reported NBPA representatives approved the plan during a call with Michele Roberts, the executive director of the players association. Wojnarowski noted the league and players are still negotiating financial terms of an amended collective bargaining agreement, discussions that will stretch into next week.
McNair and Kings coach Luke Walton will have to work swiftly in the weeks leading up to the start of the season. The draft will be held Nov. 18 followed closely by the start of free agency. Teams will open training camp Dec. 1 with just three weeks to prepare for their season openers.
League sources told Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports the salary cap and luxury tax for the 2020-21 season are expected to remain at 2019-20 levels. Those figures are expected to increase by 2% each year until league revenues recover enough to return to the standard basketball-related income formula.
Basketball-related income was down $1.5 billion last season as the coronavirus pandemic caused huge revenue losses throughout the league, according to ESPN.
This story was originally published November 5, 2020 at 8:51 PM.
