The details have been circulating for days, but the NBA’s plan for resuming its season will soon become official.
The NBA board of governors will vote Thursday to resume the halted 2019-20 season July 31 in Orlando, with 22 of the league’s 30 teams competing in eight regular season games before the playoffs, according to multiple reports Wednesday. The 22-team field will consist of the 16 current playoff teams and then six additional teams in playoff contention: the Wizards in the East and the Pelicans, Blazers, Suns, Kings and Spurs in the West.
If any of the six non-playoff teams are within four games of the #8 seed by the end of the regular season, the league would stage a play-in tournament.
As reported by ESPN on Tuesday, the NBA Finals could run as late as October 12. The NBA Draft and free agency would follow. Per The Athletic, the NBA Draft Lottery would take place in August.
Per the Associated Press, some elements of the return plan are still subject to change. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported Thursday that the league has not “definitively ruled out” seeding the playoff teams 1-16 regardless of conference, though it is “not expected.”
Upon expected approval of the return plan, the NBA will become the biggest team sport to have settled on a site, date and format for a potential return to play. The NHL has decided on a format for its return — the cessation of the regular season and an expanded 24-team Stanley Cup playoff — but has yet to pick a site or date. Major League Baseball is still negotiating.
[News from ESPN.com 6.3, Sun-Sentinel 6.3, AP via Denver Post 6.3, The Athletic 6.3]
