It’s getting tougher and tougher to envision the NBA’s season continuing. It already felt unlikely that the NBA draft would happen on time because of the global coronavirus pandemic. Now, that’s all but official.
The NBA has reportedly voted to postpone the draft lottery and the NBA combine because of the pandemic, according to a report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The league voted to take the measure in a conference call between the NBA’s board of governors on Friday.
The lottery was scheduled to take place in a few weeks on May 19 with the NBA combine coming shortly after on May 21. A replacement date for both events has not yet been determined.
Both events were scheduled for May in Chicago. https://t.co/Sv6qzGYOr9
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 1, 2020
The league hasn’t decided to push the actual NBA draft back just yet, according to the report. But, if we’re reading the tea leaves, there’s no way the event can run on time as scheduled.
The regular season isn’t over. Teams haven’t even been able to interview prospects to this point. Bringing them in for workouts in the league’s current situation isn’t possible.
The draft date moving backward is an all but certain ripple effect of all that at this point. Another thing to look out for? Potentially postponing the 2020-21’s start into December. It’s on the table, according to Wojnarowski’s report.
Among the discussion topics today on the call: The merits of moving back the start of the 2020-2021 until December, sources said. Part of that ongoing converation surrounds the opportunity a delay could give NBA teams to get more fans in arenas for more games next season.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 1, 2020
There are a lot of uncertainties here. But one thing we do know? NBA basketball won’t doesn’t seem to be getting started anytime soon.