The NBA is consistently engaging in more conversations to resume the 2019-20 season at Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported on Wednesday the league is working on establishing “medical/safety” protocols, with the idea teams would hold training camps and scrimmages before resuming games at the end of July or early August.
Sources: The NBA is working on multi-phase medical/safety protocols toward restart of play. Current projections have in-market training camps in July, then camps/scrimmages in Orlando, then resume play late July/early August.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 27, 2020
However, it does not appear all 30 teams are likely to play again.
Sam Amick of The Athletic reported the focus of the league’s call on Tuesday revolved around “20-team scenarios and the playoffs.”
Sources: The focus of the NBA's Tuesday's call with team presidents was on 20-team scenarios and the playoffs. Nothing firm yet, but momentum seems to be going against a 30-team approach in Orlandohttps://t.co/mSJECnhJHB
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) May 27, 2020
Additionally, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Adrian Wojnarowski reported the board of governors will have a set of calls later this week, though teams are “increasingly skeptical” all 30 franchises will be included in the plan for a return:
Commissioner Adam Silver has calls set with the league’s general managers on Thursday and the board of governors on Friday, where officials are continuing to discuss variations of plans that include a play-in tournament, pool play bracket and regular-season games moving into the playoffs, sources said.
The NBA has yet to formally rule out the idea, but teams have become increasingly skeptical of the league bringing back all 30 teams to complete the season, sources said.
There is a playoffs-plus idea that includes 20 to 24 teams, with the NBA including more teams from the Western Conference than the Eastern Conference, sources said. The NBA is considering play-in possibilities with teams like New Orleans, Portland, San Antonio and Sacramento vying for the postseason, sources said.
Shelburne and Wojnarowski also reported the NBA and NBPA are collaborating on a plan which would allow some family members to join teams in Orlando.
It should not come as much of a surprise the NBA is limiting the scope of action, especially considering–outside of the current playoff picture–only four to five teams are somewhat in contention for a playoff spot.
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