The 2020-21 NBA season has been like no other, as the coronavirus pandemic forced commissioner Adam Silver and the league to change the norms to adapt to health and safety guidelines.
The biggest change for the 2020-21 season involved its start time. After the 2020 Orlando Bubble concluded with the Los Angeles Lakers hoisting the NBA championship, the league decided to start the upcoming season in late December.
The quick succession resulted in a shortened offseason for teams that competed in the bubble, most notoriously the Lakers and the Miami Heat, who went six games in the NBA Finals and received limited rest afterward.
Another important change saw the regular season going from 82 games to 72 games, which increased the frequency of back-to-back and one-day rest games.
With the NBA playoffs underway, the league is already planning for next season’s start date. On ESPN’s “Keyshawn, JWill and Zubin”, the show interviewed Silver about the league’s plans.
We’re looking towards getting back on our regular schedule…our plan is to start again roughly, give or take a week, mid-to-late October of this year.”
Silver detailed how the NBA would need to have a shorter offseason in order to hit that target, but it wouldn’t be the same length as the one from the last year. Otherwise, the league would continue a cycle of shortened offseasons.
Silver noted how the NBA Finals normally conclude by the end of June during a normal year, but because of the late start time this season, the postseason may not end until July 22 if the finals extend to seven games, which is why reducing the offseason is necessary to return to normalcy.
If the Lakers reach the NBA Finals again, it’ll be the second-straight season where they’re one of the two teams with the least amount of rest heading into the next year. Superstars from around the league will also have to plan around a trip to Tokyo for the Olympics, which are scheduled to begin in July.
That vital rest seemed to hurt them during the regular season, literally, because many players, from LeBron James to Anthony Davis, dealt with injuries that kept them out for a long time.
But if Los Angeles can attain title 18 this year, it would be worth it.
Check out the full conversation here, courtesy of ESPN’s YouTube channel.
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