NBA Rumors: Christmas Day Startup Being Discussed for Next Season
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the sports world, nobody knew what to expect. After the NBA put the 2019-2020 season on hold for 30 days, it seemed that basketball wouldn't be gone for too long. Yet, here we are in early May, and the league still doesn't have a return set to continue the current season.
What we know at the moment is that soon, select NBA teams will have the opportunity to begin opening up their practice facilities. And while that doesn't guarantee a return for the league, it shows a precise effort from the NBA, who has made it clear they are doing all they can to crown a champion this season.
There's hope for a late June to early July return for the NBA. If that's the case, there's a good chance the season rolls over into September, pushing back the start date of the 2020-2021 season. Typically, the NBA would get its start in late October. For next season, though, it seems that might not be possible.
While continuing the 2019-2020 season is undoubtedly a priority for the NBA, the league is still looking towards the future and trying to figure out what to do with next season. As many scenarios are being floated around, one idea the NBA has come up with sounds like it could really be gaining some steam.
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"The NBA is planning for many scenarios," said Shams Charania of The Atheltic during a three-sport roundtable. "Including targeting a Christmas Day start to the 2020-21 season, sources tell me." Funny enough, Atlanta Hawks CEO Steve Koonin suggested this idea before the NBA had to actually think about pushing the start of the 2020-2021 season back to a later month. Now, Koonin's hypothetical could become a legitimate scenario for next season. And who knows, if all goes well with a new schedule, the NBA's calendar could end up permanently changed.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_
