A new report has come out explaining how the NBA could be bent from its initial decision to schedule the 2020-21 season restart on December 1st. A number of major factors must come into play, which will make the league more flexible with regards to opening night.
This report comes directly from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski:
The NBA has told teams that the plan remains to start on Dec. 1, but pushing back that date would require a level of confidence that a delay would ultimately result in the reopening of arenas to the public.
If so, the NBA would be willing to hold back the start — perhaps even months. An opening night of Martin Luther King Jr. Day — Jan. 18 — is a consideration. February and March are realistic too if a combination of vaccines, therapeutics and rapid-response testing for COVID-19 could contribute to the possibility of public gatherings.
At the moment, the league is prepared to kick off the new season in crowd-less arenas — and rightfully so. However, as explained by Woj above, commissioner Adam Silver can still be swayed, under the presumption that significant developments arise in the global battle against the dreaded coronavirus.
Woj also adds, however, that the league is taking a cautiously optimistic approach in the same. While there is some hope in the development of a vaccine in the immediate future, the NBA is also preparing for the eventuality of potential delays. Mass distribution is another issue, which is exactly why the league has kept its door open, but will continue to remain prudent with regards to this compelling issue.
Follow Us
Subscribe