NBA targeting December start for new season

>> LOS ANGELES: The NBA is looking at starting a 72-game 2020-21 season in December and finishing in time for players to compete at the Tokyo Olympics, according to multiple reports on Friday.

The Athletic and ESPN, citing unnamed sources, said the league told team owners in a Friday conference call about the plans, which would require approval by the players union by the end of October.

After the play-offs ended on Oct 11 due to a Covid-19 shutdown last March and a July restart, the league would have only a 72-day break before a Dec 22 restart, three days before the NBA’s usual plethora of Christmas Day game offerings, The Athletic reported.

The move would allow greater income and more games compared to a January restart and allow the league to crown a champion and leave a window for NBA talent to play for homelands in the Tokyo Olympics, where the US team would seek a fourth consecutive gold medal.

A play-in tournament for the final play-off spot in each conference, an idea developed due to the pandemic-hit season, would continue, according to the reports.

USA Basketball has started asking about player availability for the July 23 start of the Tokyo Olympics to allow time to select players and prepare for the tournament.

The NBA would prefer to play in home arenas rather than a bubble and is looking at playing a team multiple times on a trip to reduce travel.

Areas that allow spectators in arenas might have testing for fans in courtside seating and updated air purifying systems.

ESPN reported Oct 30 would be a deadline for talks.