The NBA is still finishing up the 2019-20 season inside the bubble in Orlando where both the Western Conference Finals and the Eastern Conference Finals are still ongoing. This leaves the question of when the 2020-21 season will begin as the league schedule has been thrown out of whack.
There were initial reports coming out that next season could begin on Christmas Day, but now it seems that that date is a little premature. The league still needs to figure out little things such as the salary cap number, free agency, training camp, and the global coronavirus pandemic that is still ongoing.
Commissioner Adam Silver joined Bob Costas on CNN and he told him that the 2020-21 season would begin in January at the earliest. The wording of that phrase means it’s probably fluid and that it could be pushed back even further into February maybe.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver tells Bob Costas on @CNN that his “best guess” is that next season will begin in January at the earliest
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) September 22, 2020
The league does want to bring fans back to arenas and considering that the only way that happens is if a vaccine is introduced, that could push the season start into later months. Then, one has to consider the 2021-22 season as the league would want to go back to a regular schedule. There is still so much to work on and figure out in an uncertain time right now.
For the Philadelphia 76ers, that means they will have time to figure out what the next step is. General manager, Elton Brand will have to sit down and figure out how to best complement Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid moving forward. [lawrence-related id=37808,37804,37797]