Stepbacks: the loooong summer

The days keep ticking by and we’re all focused on getting through this the best we can. The Last Dance is a great distraction. The classic games are a lot of fun. But at some point the league is going to need to make a decision on the remainder of the season and/or playoffs.

If they decide to cancel the season (as I think they ultimately should) I hope they find a way to extend the action and interest of the offseason for as long as possible. Here are some ideas:

• Show more of the NBA Lottery process. I’d watch footage of the ping pong balls being pulled out and read, even after the results are announced.
• Wait like a month to start free agency. Give us some time to digest the draft and get all kinds of trade and free agency rumors percolated.
• Of course once free agency starts, there’s no holding it back. In fact, it will be comical how much tampering would be done during the month delay, but that’s all part of the fun. Just lean into it.
• Who knows how long it will be till we can actually have the Vegas Summer League but I like the idea of it being later in the summer. Usually we’ve just processed the draft, then Summer League happens and we’re snowballing towards the offseason. Meanwhile, August is a wasteland of no activity. Put Summer League at the end of the summer and everything fills in perfectly.
• Of course, none of my beat writer friends are going to be on board with this plan. They need a vacation at some point. But hey, they just need an excuse to head to the beach in early fall.
• If the restrictions are lifted (at least for games with no attendance) before the end of the season, I’d love to see some creative exhibition type games. Bring back some recently retired players to play some games against the rookie class. Do a streetball rules tournament (call your own fouls, games to 21 by 1’s and 2’s, etc.).
• Man, I can’t wait for preseason games to start.

Am I missing any other creative ideas? How would you change the offseason if you could?