NBA plans July 31 return
MANILA, Philippines — After months of uncertainty on the fate of the 2019-20 NBA season, details of a return plan are starting to take shape.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver is reportedly considering a July 31 return date for the league, more than four months after the season was suspended due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver and the league office informed Board of Governors that July 31 is a target date for return of season, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 29, 2020
Per Shams Charania of The Athletic, Silver and the NBA Board of Governors discussed four possible play scenarios once the season returns.
Sources: The NBA discussed four competition scenarios for restart with Board of Governors today:
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 29, 2020
- 16 teams: Directly to playoffs
- 20: Group/stage play
- 22: Games to determine seeding, play-in tournament for final seed(s)
- 30: 72-game regular season, with play-in tourney
One of the options is taking the top eight teams in both conferences and going straight to the playoffs.
Other scenarios include inviting over more than 16 teams for group/stage play to determine playoff seeding.
An option to invite all 30 teams to finish a 72-game regular season was also mulled over.
Earlier reports have pinned Disney World in Orlando, Florida as a venue to finish the season.
The resort will serve as an "NBA campus" where the teams will play, train and live during the duration of the season.
The NBA has been on hiatus since March 11 after Utah Jazz big man Rudy Gobert tested positive for the coronavirus.
A handful of other NBA players, including Brooklyn's Kevin Durant, Boston's Marcus Smart and Gobert's teammate Donovan Mitchell, also contracted the virus and have fully recovered.
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