The 2020 NBA Draft could be delayed from June until August or September due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to ESPN reporter Adrian Wojnarowski.
Appearing on SportsCenter on Sunday morning, Wojnarowski said the only scenario in which the NBA Draft is held as scheduled on June 25 is if the regular season doesn’t resume. Since owners and the players anticipate the season returning at some point, the draft will be pushed back as a result.
Teams have been preparing for the possibility of resuming the regular season in June at the earliest. If the regular season resumes by June, the NBA Draft will be pushed back as it is virtually guaranteed the event will not be held during the season.
“I think any scenario where the draft happens, I think it’s very likely going to be still at the back end of the playoffs,” Wojnarowski said. “You would still have a time when you would have the draft and free agency so, potentially, if the season is resumed at some point and the league is playing in July and August, and maybe even into September, it’s possible you don’t have a draft and free agency until those Finals are over.”
As it stands now, the early entry deadline for underclassmen in the 2020 NBA Draft is 11:59 p.m. ET on April 26 with the withdrawal deadline set for 5 p.m. ET on June 15. Since the draft is expected to be delayed, many believe prospects should have additional time to weigh their deadline decisions.
The pre-draft process is shaping up to be severely altered due to the coronavirus. Prospects can only work out on their own and they are unable to train under the careful watch of trainers during this unprecedented time.
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