With the end of basketball’s COVID-19 hiatus on the horizon, the NBA’s plan for moving forward is coming into focus. As Samuel L. Jackson once said — hold on to your butts. Once the hoops start up again, they’ll be rolling for a while.
Here’s a look at how the NBA plans to navigate the following weeks, months, and the start of next season. Per Shams Charania of The Athletic:
June 15: International players return to market
June 21: All players report to camp
June 22: Coronavirus testing begins
June 30: Start of pre-Disney-World training camp
July 7: Teams will travel to Orlando
July 31: 2019-20 season resumes
October 12: Latest possible date for Game 7 of Finals
October 15: NBA Draft
October 18: Free agency period begins
November 10*: Training camp for 2020-21 season
December 1*: Opening night for 2020-21 season
*Dates remain fluid
So, to recap — the NBA will return for three months to finish this season, hold the draft just three days prior to the start of free agency, then start training camp for next season less than a month later. The 2020-21 campaign is expected to begin roughly three weeks after that.
Wild times, right?
