2020-2021 NBA Season Starting in December: A Possibility

The last time the National Basketball Association (NBA) started a new season in December, it was during the lockdown-shortened 2011-2012 season when the season had to start on Christmas Day after a dispute between the players and the team owners surrounding the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) from which a new agreement was signed by both parties. With how things are looking right now, it seems that NBA fans will need to wait longer for the 2020-2021 season to open. Then again, we haven't heard anything official as to whether or not the 2019-2020 campaign will resume and go straight to the playoffs. LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers even ranted on the rumors that some team executives are pushing for the season to be canceled entirely.  

The world of basketball is currently on an indefinite hiatus as the whole planet is fighting an enemy that is called the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19). And while there are speculations that the NBA is considering to resume games either in Las Vegas or even in Disneyland in Florida, the question still remains: when will the NBA resume action? Or, will the 2020 playoffs still happen?

And since the COVID-19  pandemic has everyone else delaying or canceling their plans for the remainder of the year, expect everything NBA to be pushed back and that includes the 2020-2021 season. 

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is pushing for all NBA teams to be prepared for the possibility that the 2020-2021 campaign won't open until December 2020 and that it can even run until July or even August of 2021.  And that's regardless if the 2019-2020 season gets completed or canceled. Wojnarowski also added that Commissioner Silver is now being pushed by teams to make decisions with regards to how the 2019-2020 season will resume and that if and when the NBA does want the 2020 playoffs to happen. 

Now, assuming that the 2020 playoffs is to happen around July this year, it will push everything back and that includes the opening of the 2020-2021 season. Either way, the delay is inevitable but if there's one thing that is certain for now, the NBA will resume. It's only the question of whether it's the current season or, the next one. 

Photo is from Sports Illustrated