The NBA is set to return on July 30 and resume the 2019-20 season that has been on hold since March 11 due to the global coronavirus pandemic. In order to keep everybody safe, the league has set some dates for when testing must be done and when head coaches can return to the practice facility.
In terms of testing for coronavirus, the league has set mandatory dates of June 23-30 in order to get everybody set for the upcoming training camp dates. That also means that players who traveled outside of the United States must return by June 22 so they can be tested the next day.
Health and safety: The NBA's required coronavirus testing window for teams: June 23-30, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 12, 2020
Also, in terms of when a head coach can resume and get back to work with the team, the league set that date for June 23 as well. The head coach can be one of the two coaches in the building during voluntary workouts. For the Philadelphia 76ers, that means Brett Brown can reenter the building at that time.
Beginning on June 23, a head coach can be one of the two coaches working with players in voluntary workouts, per sources. https://t.co/elRmBUra5t
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 12, 2020
The league also sent out some dates for the season as a whole including the final eight regular-season games which are set to begin on July 30. After that, the playoffs are expected to begin on August 17 with the NBA Finals beginning on September 30.
Sources: NBA's expected restart dates:
– July 30-Aug. 14: Seeding games
– Aug.15-16: Play-in tournaments
– Aug. 17: Playoffs begin
– Aug. 30: Family/guests of teams arrive
– Aug. 31-Sept. 13: Conf. Semifinals
– Sept. 15-Sept. 28: Conf. Finals
– Sept. 30-Oct. 13: NBA Finals— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 12, 2020
This is going to be a strange and wild finish to an already irregular year. These are the steps the league has taken to ensure everybody’s safety and that’s all that’s important at the moment. [lawrence-related id=32940,32933,32918]