The NBA has been pushing for the 2020-21 season to start before Christmas for some time, with the hope of helping make up for some of the financial losses from the 2019-20 season.
There appeared to be apprehension on the part of the players initially, but it’s clear they have had a change of heart, given the National Basketball Players Associations’s joint announcement with the league that came out late Thursday night.
The NBPA has “tentatively approved a start date of December 22, 2020 for the 2020-21 NBA season and a 72-game schedule.”
The NBPA player reps voted on the league’s proposal on Thursday
The statement also indicated there are other details that have yet to be worked out. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the league and the NBPA have to “finish financial terms on [the] amended CBA.”
NBPA STATEMENT ON THE 2020-2021 NBA SEASON START DATE AND SCHEDULE
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— NBPA (@TheNBPA) November 6, 2020
Woj is also reporting the trade moratorium should be lifted shortly before the 2020 NBA draft on November 18.