Assuming the NBA does not begin play until at least January, next season will mark the very first time since the lockout-shortened 1999 project that there are no video games on Christmas Day.
Although the NBA hasnt set an official start date for the 2020-21 season, commissioner Adam Silver says the league could target January.
Speaking To Bob Costas on CNN (h/t Mirjam Swanson of the Southern California News Group), Silver said Tuesday his “finest guess” is the season wont begin until some point in 2021.
” The more Im finding out, I continue to think well be much better entering into January,” he stated. “The objective for us next season is to play a basic season, 82-game season and playoffs. In home arenas, in front of fans.”
When the NBA Board of Governors and National Basketball Players Association voted to resume this season in June, ESPNs Adrian Wojnarowski reported the league provided teams a “working timeline” that included opening training school for next season Nov. 10 and opening night Dec. 1.
Jae C. Hong/Associated Press
Silver told ESPNs Rachel Nichols (h/t NBC Washingtons Ryan Homler) throughout the NBA draft lottery game show Aug. 20 that Dec. 1 “is feeling a bit early to me.”
” Our No. 1 objective is to get fans back in our arenas,” he stated. “My sense is, in dealing with the Players Association, if we could push back even a little bit longer and increase the possibility of having fans in arenas, thats what we would be targeting.”
The existing season resumed July 31 with 22 groups playing at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. The playoffs began Aug. 17, and the NBA Finals would go through Oct. 12 if they last seven video games.
