NBA Players Association Agrees To 22-Team Plan
Jun 5, 2020, 3:54 PM | Updated: 5:32 pm
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 17: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks and Team Giannis fights to keep the ball against LeBron James #23 of the LA Lakers and Team LeBron in the third quarter during the NBA All-Star game as part of the 2019 NBA All-Star Weekend at Spectrum Center on February 17, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – NBA fans hoping for final word that the season is returning may need to wait a while longer. The NBA Players Association has agreed to the NBA 22-team return structure. However, there is still work to be done with the league’s Board of Governors to finalize a plan to finish the NBA season according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
The NBAPA and the Board of Player Representatives held a call Friday. Despite the negotiations, the league still plans to resume the season on July 31.
Among the issues yet to be resolved, the number of exhibition games, testing protocol, family allowance, and future pay were discussed.
2-3 preseason games. 1,600 maximum capacity in Orlando. No plan for anti-drug blood testing. Potential crowd noise via NBA 2K sounds.
Details at @TheAthleticNBA on the NBPA’s call with its Board and Player Reps: https://t.co/OiSdQosgvU
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 5, 2020
The NBA hopes to have all players in their host cities by late June. Those teams will then travel to Orlando during the first week of July. Regular season games will begin on July 31, and the season will end no later than October 12.
Finishing the Plan
Though the NBA is seeing its plan is taking shape, there is still negotiating to be done. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver admitted he may have jumped the gun Thursday night on some of the league’s protocols. Silver had stated that older coaches may not be allowed on their team’s bench due to concerns over COVID-19.
ESPN story on NBPA executive director Michele Roberts' reaction to the NBA's tenative timeline of a rapid return to start the 2020-2021 season: "I was surprised to see it." https://t.co/5wXk7Keluc
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 4, 2020
Additionally, the proposed return date for the 2020-21 NBA season remains fluid. The league indicated that December 1 would be opening day for next season. That would leave only 50 days between the final day of the Finals and opening day. The players would have to squeeze their offseason and preseason into those 50 days. Most years, even players who compete in Finals get a full four month offseason.
