By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Atlanta Hawks general manager, Travis Schlenk said on a conference call with reporters on Tuesday that the NBA intends to keep its yearly schedule close to the traditional timeline, ESPN relays.
The 2019-20 season will extend into the summer and conclude in October, due to the coronavirus pandemic. Early expectations hint towards the 2020-21 season tipping off in December following an adjusted preseason. The initial plan seems to include the idea of shifting the schedule back to its normal form.
The 2020-21 schedule can be condensed with more back-to-back games and stretches with four games in five nights in order to keep the 82-game format intact and remain as close to its current schedule as possible. The NBA had reduced the number of back-to-back games and completely eliminated stretches of four games in five nights from the 2017-18 season by pulling the starting date earlier than previous campaigns.
Among the many reasons the NBA wants to compress its schedule retracting its established form is to avoid further issues with drafting and the overall moves of players into the league. It is clear that scheduling conflicts result in apparent problems regarding picking up younger or more experienced players from Europe.
An additional view on the NBA potentially moving forward with an adjusted timeline through December to the following summer is the direct impact on the participation of top players in FIBA competitions. Keeping the summers free would allow NBA players to represent their country in the Olympic Games, World Cups, and other international tournaments.
On the other hand, the NBA carrying its timeline away from its current form would largely take the NFL television competition out. More summer action would pit the NBA against the MLB, a route steadily gaining support even before the coronavirus pandemic altered the 2019-20 picture.
However, the main focus remains the 2019-20 season and crowning a champion through the approved format. Discussions regarding future schedules will likely extend deep into the summer or after the conclusion of the 2019-20 season.
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