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The NBA is reportedly moving toward pushing back the 2020 NBA Draft and the start of free agency until a later date, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
The decision to delay both events from Oct. 16 and Oct. 18 stems from the likelihood that the start of the 2020-21 season will not happen on Dec. 1. The range to begin next season is between December and March, though there is hope the season can start in late December or January.
The hope of pushing back the start of next season is that teams would be permitted to safely allow fans into arenas. Game night ticket sales account for roughly 40% of the league’s revenue and delaying the start of the season could allow for the possibility of fans returning.
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NBA commissioner Adam Silver said last week that he felt the Dec. 1 target start date for the 2020-21 season was a bit early. Silver said the league and the NBPA would like to delay the start in order to allow fans to safely return to attending games.
Prior to settling on a date for the NBA Draft and free agency, though, the NBA and the NBPA must set the salary cap for the 2020-21 season. The two sides must first project the revenue for this season, which is not yet known and complicated to estimate.
The league has not yet definitively settled on a plan surrounding the draft and free agency and is still working to find a solution, though it is looking increasingly likely that both events will once again be delayed by several weeks.
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