In light of the COVID-19 pandemic which has postponed the 2019-20 NBA season indefinitely, Los Angeles Lakers veteran Jared Dudley pointed out that the next season could start on Christmas day like the 2011 lockout.
Via Twitter, Dudley responded to Adrian Wojnarowski's announcement that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended a postponement of events of 50 plus people for the next two months. In the event that the NBA season resumes, games could commence mid-to-late June and end in August.
Though it hasn't been decided if teams will continue season or if it will be canceled altogether, the Lakers vet seems to like the idea of pushing back the league calendar instead and just delaying the 2020-21 season.
Yup! Make sense under the circumstances.. Wouldn’t be surprised if the following season started on Christmas 2020. Like the lockout a few years ago … https://t.co/fXYHsgZTTr
— Jared Dudley (@JaredDudley619) March 16, 2020
Dudley and the Lakers are title contenders this 2019-20, so they certainly do not want the season to be canceled. However, they surely understand that the season is hanging in the balance given the current situation.
In the past, the NBA Finals would've concluded in mid-June. July, August, September, and October is the offseason for the league where players rest and train in preparation for the season. Big free-agent signings, trades, various negotiations, and the draft also take place in this span. Unless a lockout occurs, this has been the schedule for the world's biggest basketball league.
In NBA history, there have been four lockout seasons. The latest one was in 2011 where the number of regular-season games were reduced to 66 games instead of 82. The lockout officially ended on Dec. 8, and it was on Dec. 25 that the season began.
While containment of the virus' spread is the number one priority, NBA owners and executives are looking for ways to lessen the financial repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As of this writing, nothing is etched in stone yet. But in the event that the 2019-20 resumes in June, there's a strong possibility that Jared Dudley's thoughts will turn into a reality — but that's only if the COVID-19 has been put under control.
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