After putting the season on hold due to coronavirus concerns, the NBA is aiming to resume play at the end of July, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver and the league office set a target date for the season to return on July 31, Charania reported.
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
Last week the league announced it was in discussions with the Player's Association regarding a plan to resume the 2019-2020 season with all games and practices held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney World in Florida.
The plan also involved housing players at Disney World facility for the remainder of the season.
Charania also reported that the league was in discussions with plans not only on when to resume the season but how. Options discussed included immediately heading into the playoffs with the top 16 teams at the current standings, returning 20 teams for group/stage play, returning 22 teams with games played to determine tournament seeds and returning all 30 teams to finish a shortened 72-game regular season.
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
The NBA halted its season on March 11 after Utah Jazz's Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19.
