If the NBA is truly able to restart its season in late July, it may be at the latest possible date.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver told team owners during a league Board of Governors meeting Friday that July 31 is a potential restart date for the NBA season, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.
The news comes less than a week after the league officially announced that it is in discussions to resume the season at Orlando’s Walt Disney World in late July. On The Bill Simmons Podcast last weekend, the eponymous host said the league was aiming for a July 25 restart.
Previously, The Athletic reported a mid-July restart was on the table.
The league has yet to identify a format for the remainder of the season or the playoffs, but ESPN reported Friday that league owners are prepared to vote next week in favor of whatever Silver recommends.
Per that report, there is “growing support” for having 22 out of the league’s 30 teams finish an abbreviated regular season in Orlando. In addition to the 16 teams that would have made the playoffs as of the league’s March 11 suspension, six other teams within six games of a playoff berth would compete.
The NHL earlier this week officially announced its return plan of an expanded 24-team playoff field, though it appears to be much further behind the NBA in picking a site or date. Major League Baseball owners have approved an 82-game regular season schedule, but negotiations with the players union have thus far been strained.
