Report: NBPA tentatively approves Dec. 22 start date for 2020-21 season with 72 game schedule

Mark your calendars, the NBA could be back on December 22.

It’s time to mark your calendars — the Golden State Warriors could be making their long-awaited return to the court on Dec. 22.

On Thursday, the National Basketball Players Association voted to approve the league’s plan for a Dec. 22 opening day with a 72-game season, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania and ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Along with a slate of games on Christmas day, the Dec. 22 start date will give the NBA the ability to end the season in time for the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

Via ESPN:

The league believes that a Dec. 22 start that includes Christmas Day games on television and allows for a 72-game schedule that finishes before the Summer Olympics in July is worth between $500 million and $1 billion in short- and long-term revenues to the league and the players, sources said.

After closing out a run of games in the Orlando Bubble with the Los Angeles Lakers championship in the NBA Finals on Oct. 11, the league will have a quick turnaround time for the start of the new season. While it may be a fast return to the court for some teams, the Warriors were one of eight teams not invited to the league’s trip to Disney World.

The last time the Warriors suited up for a game was before the league suspended play due to the coronavirus pandemic on March 10 against the Los Angeles Clippers. The opening of the 2020-21 season is expected to see the highly-anticipated return of Klay Thompson after an 18-month layoff from the knee injury he suffered in the 2019 NBA Finals.

Before training camps are set to begin on Dec. 1, the NBA has a whirlwind offseason schedule starting with the draft on Nov. 18. Once the Warriors are off the clock with the No. 2 overall pick in the NBA draft, Bob Myers and Steve Kerr will have to quickly turn their attention to the free agency period.

With no official date for the start of free agency, the league could open the player movement window right after the draft night, per Wojnarowski.

According to Wojnarowski, once the NBA and players reach a formal agreement on an amended collective bargaining agreement, the league will lift a moratorium and reopen business for pre-draft trades.

The league and players are still negotiating financial terms of an amended collective bargaining agreement, and those talks are expected to extend into next week, sources said. Once a formal agreement is reached, the league will lift a moratorium and reopen the league for business on trades prior to the draft.

Once movement and trades are open for business, the Warriors will have the opportunity to use their $17.2 million trade exception from last offseason’s Andre Iguodala deal with the Memphis Grizzlies.

While there are still several boxes to check off before the start of the 2020-21 season, the Golden State Warriors finally have a potential gameday circled on their calendar for the first time in eight months.

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NBPA executive director doesn’t see Friday as ‘drop dead date’

NBPA executive director Michele Roberts doesn’t see Friday as a date that is set in stone for the players to improve a new plan.

Friday is the current deadline for the NBA and the NBPA to agree to changes to the current collective bargaining agreement, including financial adjustments and other modifications to the schedule for the 2020-21 season. Reports for the past week have pegged a start date just before Christmas Day as the scenario the NBA’s Board of Governors, but from the words from NBPA executive director Michele Roberts to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, expecting an agreement to come on Friday is a little unlikely.

“The union and the players are analyzing all of the information and will not be rushed,” Roberts told The Athletic. “We have requested and are receiving data from the parties involved and will work on a counterproposal as expeditiously as possible. I have absolutely no reason to believe that we will have a decision by Friday. I cannot and will not view Friday as a drop dead date.”

Reports coming from earlier this week on the player’s side indicated a significant portion of the players, including stars, were pushing for a start to the season on January 18, Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

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Official Philadelphia 76ers Ball is Back T-Shirt, NBA Ball is Back Collection, Where to grab your favorite NBA team gear

Support the NBA restarted season by grabbing your a Sixers Ball is Back t-shirt, where to get them.

With the NBA coming back in a few weeks, show the Philadelphia 76ers your support by grabbing this Ball is Back T-Shirt. Be the first one to rep the restarted 2020 season rocking this gear and showing your allegiance to your NBA team.

With Men’s and Womens sizes ranging from small all the way up to 5XL, they are an absolute must have for the restart of the NBA season. These 76ers Ball is Back jerseys are limited print and will only be available for a short time in this shortened NBA season. Pick yours up for only, $27.99.

They are IN STOCK now and will ship within three business days!  

While you sit back and relax while watching your Philadelphia 76ers compete for the 2020 NBA title, make sure you’re styling and profiling in this!

We recommend interesting sports products. If you purchase a product by clicking one of the links, we may earn a referral fee.

Texas ex LaMarcus Aldridge undergoes surgery, season over

When the 2019-20 NBA season resumes on July 31, the San Antonio Spurs will be without one of their top players.

When the 2019-20 NBA season resumes in late July, the San Antonio Spurs will be without one of their top players. Continue reading “Texas ex LaMarcus Aldridge undergoes surgery, season over”

NBA to Reportedly Restart Season With 22-Team Format

NBA to Reportedly Restart
Season With 22-Team Format Sources tell ESPN that 13 teams will
come from the Western Conference and
the rest will represent the East. Shams Charania, reporter for The Athletic, says there will
be 16 teams that would have made the playoffs
when the league shut down on March 11. The rest will consist of five teams
from the West who were within
four games of the No. 8 seed. In the Eastern Conference, only the
Washington Wizards qualify to
continue within the new format. After the season ends, should a ninth-seeded team
be within four games of the final playoff spot, a possible play-in tournament for
the eighth seed may be held. The NBA’s board of governors
is expected to approve
the plan this week. Other details include eight
regular-season games being played
at the Walt Disney World Resort. @wojespn, via Twitter @VinceGoodwill, via Twitter Sources add that teams will begin training
in their respective areas next month and
then head to Orlando later in July. Reports say the NBA will hold
daily testing at Disney, and
players and coaches will follow safety protocols. Any team member who
tests positive will
be treated individually.

NBA to Reportedly Restart
Season With 22-Team Format Sources tell ESPN that 13 teams will
come from the Western Conference and
the rest will represent the East. Shams Charania, reporter for The Athletic, says there will
be 16 teams that would have made the playoffs
when the league shut down on March 11. The rest will consist of five teams
from the West who were within
four games of the No. 8 seed. In the Eastern Conference, only the
Washington Wizards qualify to
continue within the new format. After the season ends, should a ninth-seeded team
be within four games of the final playoff spot, a possible play-in tournament for
the eighth seed may be held. The NBA’s board of governors
is expected to approve
the plan this week. Other details include eight
regular-season games being played
at the Walt Disney World Resort. @wojespn, via Twitter @VinceGoodwill, via Twitter Sources add that teams will begin training
in their respective areas next month and
then head to Orlando later in July. Reports say the NBA will hold
daily testing at Disney, and
players and coaches will follow safety protocols. Any team member who
tests positive will
be treated individually.

NBA to Reportedly Restart Season With 22-Team Format

NBA to Reportedly Restart
Season With 22-Team Format Sources tell ESPN that 13 teams will
come from the Western Conference and
the rest will represent the East. Shams Charania, reporter for The Athletic, says there will
be 16 teams that would have made the playoffs
when the league shut down on March 11. The rest will consist of five teams
from the West who were within
four games of the No. 8 seed. In the Eastern Conference, only the
Washington Wizards qualify to
continue within the new format. After the season ends, should a ninth-seeded team
be within four games of the final playoff spot, a possible play-in tournament for
the eighth seed may be held. The NBA’s board of governors
is expected to approve
the plan this week. Other details include eight
regular-season games being played
at the Walt Disney World Resort. @wojespn, via Twitter @VinceGoodwill, via Twitter Sources add that teams will begin training
in their respective areas next month and
then head to Orlando later in July. Reports say the NBA will hold
daily testing at Disney, and
players and coaches will follow safety protocols. Any team member who
tests positive will
be treated individually.

NBA to Reportedly Restart
Season With 22-Team Format Sources tell ESPN that 13 teams will
come from the Western Conference and
the rest will represent the East. Shams Charania, reporter for The Athletic, says there will
be 16 teams that would have made the playoffs
when the league shut down on March 11. The rest will consist of five teams
from the West who were within
four games of the No. 8 seed. In the Eastern Conference, only the
Washington Wizards qualify to
continue within the new format. After the season ends, should a ninth-seeded team
be within four games of the final playoff spot, a possible play-in tournament for
the eighth seed may be held. The NBA’s board of governors
is expected to approve
the plan this week. Other details include eight
regular-season games being played
at the Walt Disney World Resort. @wojespn, via Twitter @VinceGoodwill, via Twitter Sources add that teams will begin training
in their respective areas next month and
then head to Orlando later in July. Reports say the NBA will hold
daily testing at Disney, and
players and coaches will follow safety protocols. Any team member who
tests positive will
be treated individually.

Shaq says the best decision for the NBA would be to ‘scrap the season’

Shaq wants everyone to be safe when coronavirus finally passes.

The NBA is still working to restart its season after it was suspended in March because of coronavirus.

While everyone is looking forward to the season potentially coming back, NBA on TNT analyst and Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal thinks the league should just scrap this season entirely and move on to the next one.

In an interview with For The Win, Shaq spoke about how he and his family have been dealing with socially distanced living, what it would be like playing with no fans and watching The Last Dance while stuck in the house along with everyone else.

He also spoke about a donation that he, Candace Parker and Frosted Flakes are making to finally bring sports to Young Scholars Charter School in Philadelphia when they’re finally able to return to class.

FTW: How have you and the family been holding up during quarantine?

Shaq: Well, we’ve just been following protocol. Staying safe. I’ve been spending a lot of valuable time with my boys — they’re 23, 20 and 17. Just talking about life, talking about business. I haven’t been able to spend this much time with them, actually, ever… I’m getting some good time with them.

Have you all picked up any new hobbies since you’ve been trapped in the house?

S: Yeah, since I’m doing this cooking show on ShopHQ so I’m starting to cook. I’m coming up with some kitchen items, I really been in the kitchen learning how to cook.

I’m also trying to teach my boys the importance of giving back and taking care of people that are in need… I hate looking on the news seeing that there are 24 million people filing for unemployment. That hurts my heart. So, here in Orlando, I just try to see what people need and get it done.

How surreal is it for it to not be NBA basketball right now?

S: It’s hard, but kudos to Adam Silver for taking that first step and thinking about the safety of the people and the players. I don’t know what’s going to happen with the remainder of the season but I would like everybody to be safe… So however long it takes for us to get 100% back to normal, I’m willing to wait.

What would your mindset even be playing in an arena with no fans? Why do fans matter?

S: It matters because looking at the fans starts your adrenaline. Let’s just say I’m playing on the road. I need to look at that one fan that’s making faces at me. I need to look at that one fan that laughs at me when I miss a free throw. I need to look at that one fan that’s holding up the opposing sign. I also need to look at the kid that looks at his dad when I look at him and says “Oh my God, Shaq just looked at me.” They make us who we are.

And then, you have to say okay. We’re going to play in an arena with just us, trainers, the camera guys and the media guys. What if one person gets sick and there’s nobody? All it takes is one person. After the game, you’ve still got to go home. What if one person gets sick, then we start from zero again.

Do you think it’s possible or reasonable to still have an NBA season at this point?

S: I think we should scrap the season. Everybody go home, get healthy, come back next year. Just scrap the season. Just scrap it. To try and come back now and do a rush playoffs as a player? Any team that wins this year, there’s an asterisk. They’re not going to get the respect. What if a team that’s not really in the mix of things all of a sudden wins with a new playoff format? Nobody is going to respect that. So, scrap it. Worry about the safety of the fans and the people. Come back next year.

As a competitor do you think some of the players would be upset if the season were to just be canceled?

S: Look, I understand how players are feeling. I really do. But any team that gets it done this year, there’s going to be an asterisk on that championship.

Pivoting a bit here, how do you feel about ESPN’s Michael Jordan documentary ‘The Last Dance’?

S: Yeah, I’m watching it. And as a father, I’m lucky to be able to tell my kids I was there. I saw how great he was. I was on the team that broke up that… He left and came back then we beat them to go to the Finals. Then they won three in a row.

A lot of kids they just see clips, they don’t know how great he was even though they buy his shoes. So watching this, the kids are like “I didn’t know he could do all that.” So I think this just solidifies who the greatest player to ever play the game was.

What was it like to play in that 1995 series against the Bulls? Jordan was on the comeback, obviously, so maybe he wasn’t the same—

S: Oh, stop it. Cut it out. Any guy that steps on the court has to get it. If he would’ve beat us, you wouldn’t say that.

What happened was we were the only team that year that matched up with them equally except for one position — my position… When we had the opportunity to steal that game six in Chicago, we knew we didn’t want to give it a chance to get to 7. We needed to end it right now. And we did… So I don’t want to hear that. Anybody who steps on the court can get it.

Tell us about the good things you’re doing with Frosted Flakes and Mission Tiger

S: A lot of schools around the country are having their funding cut, specifically on the athletic part. I’m partnering with Mission Tiger to donate a lot of money to the school in Philadelphia today, build a court on site, give them new equipment when all this is done.

We want these kids to stay active. They’re like everyone else — they’re missing that fun, they’re missing their sports. I’m proud to be part of what Tony the Tiger and Frosted Flakes is doing.

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The last time each NBA team won the draft lottery

Here’s the last time each NBA team won the lottery.

With the NBA season in limbo for the time being because of the coronavirus, we don’t know exactly when basketball will be back or when the next NBA draft will be.

One thing we do know, though, is that the college basketball season is over and the opportunities for teams to scout prospects has dwindled pretty much down to nothing, so it’s time to get ready for the draft. Right now, the Golden State Warriors have the highest odds to win this year’s lottery, but you never know how the balls will bounce.

With all that in mind, we thought it’d be a great time to revisit when each NBA last won the draft lottery, starting with the teams most likely to win this one.

2020 lottery teams (for now):

Warriors

Photo: AP-Andy Kuno

Last lottery win: 1995
Selection: Joe Smith
Chance to win in 2020: 14%

Cavaliers

Last lottery win: 2014
Selection: Andrew Wiggins
Chance to win in 2020: 14%

Timberwolves

Last lottery win: 2015
Selection: Karl-Anthony Towns
Chance to win in 2020: 14%

Hawks

The Hawks have never won the NBA Draft Lottery
Chance to win in 2020: 12.5%

Pistons

The Pistons have never won the NBA Draft Lottery
Chance to win in 2020: 10.5%

Knicks

Last lottery win: 1985
Selection: Patrick Ewing
Chance to win in 2020: 9.0%

Bulls

Last lottery win: 2008
Selection: Derrick Rose
Chance to win in 2020: 7.5%

Hornets

Last lottery win: 1991
Selection: Larry Johnson
Chance to win in 2020: 6.0%

Wizards

Last lottery win: 2010
Selection: John Wall
Chance to win in 2020: 4.5%

Suns

Last lottery win: 2018
Selection: Deandre Ayton
Chance to win in 2020: 3.0%

Spurs

Last lottery win: 1997
Selection: Tim Duncan
Chance to win in 2020: 2.0%

Kings

Last lottery win: 1989
Selection: Pervis Ellison
Chance to win in 2020: 1.3%

Pelicans

Photo: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Last lottery win: 2019
Selection: Zion Williamson
Chance to win in 2020: 1.2%

Blazers

Last lottery win: 2007
Selection: Greg Oden
Chance to win in 2020: .5%

2019 playoff teams:

Mavericks

The Mavericks have never won the NBA Draft Lottery

Grizzlies

The Grizzlies have never won the NBA Draft Lottery

Magic

Last lottery win: 2004
Selection: Dwight Howard

Nets

Last lottery win: 2017 (pick was conveyed to the Celtics, and later the 76ers), 2000 (as New Jersey Nets)
Selection: Kenyon Martin (2000)

Pacers

The Pacers have never won the NBA Draft Lottery

Clippers

Last lottery win: 2011’s pick was conveyed to the Cavaliers. Before that, 2009
Selection: Blake Griffin (2009)

Thunder

Neither the Thunder nor the Sonics have ever won the NBA Draft Lottery

Celtics

The Celtics have never won the NBA Draft Lottery, but did receive the No. 1 overall pick in 2017 through a trade with the Nets. Boston then traded the pick to the Sixers.

Jazz

The Jazz have never won the NBA Draft Lottery

76ers

Photo: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

Last lottery win: 2016
Selection: Ben Simmons

Lakers

The Lakers have never won the NBA Draft Lottery

Heat

The Heat have never won the NBA Draft Lottery

Rockets

Last lottery win: 2002
Selection: Yao Ming

Nuggets

The Nuggets have never won the NBA Draft Lottery

Raptors

The Raptors have never won the NBA Draft Lottery

Bucks

Last lottery win: 2005
Selection: Andrew Bogut

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