The NBA is working toward a resumption of the 2019-20 season, setting July 31 as its target date to get back into action. The league is reportedly focusing on a 22-team format to take to Orlando, which would leave eight teams out, including some small-market squads.
Oklahoma City Thunder owner Clay Bennett delivered an impassioned speech as to why the NBA must consider these smaller teams in its restart, hoping to avoid a financial catastrophe, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe.
The league is leaning toward not bringing back all 30 teams, considering the hotel and coronavirus testing resources are limited, along with the potential to minimize the outbreak of the virus. Yet Bennett pleaded for the NBA to exhaust any potential options to allow all 30 teams to return.
Bennett made the case for the impact that nine months of absence (from the March 11 halt of 2019-20 to the potential start of next season in December) could have on those smaller markets. While Bennett's Thunder will be in the playoffs no matter what, others will not.
Teams like the Atlanta Hawks and Minnesota Timberwolves, for example, could have trouble getting sponsors and selling tickets after a long absence. The development of young players could also become an issue without an extended summer (or fall) league to get them in gear for 2020-21.
While there has been talk of mandatory summer training camps and regional fall leagues of four to five teams that could help bridge the gap between seasons, the revenue left on the table could be crucial for those smaller teams:
“The message was something bigger, reminding people that some teams can't just reopen the doors in nine or 10 months and so easily sell tickets or a sponsorship without having played basketball for that long,” a high-level Eastern Conference official on the call told ESPN.
Hawks owner Tony Ressler also feels strongly about this, even as his Hawks are one of the three worst teams in the league, boasting an equal 14% chance to nab the No. 1 overall pick.
Commissioner Adam Silver reminded owners that the league's restart should expedite a path to the postseason. Silver also noted players on teams without a realistic path to the playoffs might not be as enticed to return given the risk of contagion, which would also play a part in how these teams would market a return to play.
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