The landscape of the 2020-21 NBA season became clearer on Sunday.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the NBA has a tentative schedule in place as it looks to kick off a new season with opening night occurring on Dec. 22. Most reports suggest that the NBA will play a shorter 72-game slate and is eyeing May 16 as the final day of the regular season.
Tentative schedule
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 15, 2020
December 22: Opening night.
All-Star Break (minus an ASG): March 5-10
May 16: Regular season ends
May 17-to-21: Play-in tournament for 7-to-10 seeds.
May 22: First-round playoffs
June 7: Conference semifinals
June 22: Conference Finals
July 8-22: NBA Finals
The new NBA schedule includes holding an All-Star break from March 5-10 even though there will be no All-Star Game, while putting in a Play-In Tournament for the 7-to-10 seeds just after the conclusion of the regular season.
The Play-in Tournament to decide the final two seeds in the playoff field is slotted to take place from May 17-21, and still needs to be approved by the NBA’s Board of Governors, per Wojnarowkski.
The Play-in Tournament still needs to be approved by the Board of Governors, but that is a formality, per sources: No. 7 and No. 8 seeds need to win once to stay in playoffs; No. 9 and No. 10 seeds need to win twice to move up into field. Tentative dates of event: May 17-21.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 15, 2020
A day after the Play-in Tournament ends, the NBA playoffs will start and last nearly two months as the NBA Finals will be held from July 8-22.
Wojnarowksi also reported Sunday morning that trade season in the NBA can begin as soon as Monday with the NBA expected to end its moratorium at noon ET.
Trade season begins Monday afternoon, sources tell ESPN. Teams were informed the NBA’s moratorium will end at noon ET and deals can begin to be consummated.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 15, 2020
A deadline on player and team contract options came into focus as well. Our Keith Smith cited per league sources that the vast majority of player and team option deadlines are Thursday, November 19 at 5 p.m. ET.
Just replying to myself here to note:
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) November 15, 2020
It's 5:00 PM ET! Original was incorrect.
Not that it matters all that much. Date was the important thing.