By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Discussions between the NBA and NBPA regarding the start date of the next season are still ongoing resulting in the fourth extension of the deadline to serve notice on terminating the CBA, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Malcolm Brogdon, an NBPA vice president, recently anticipated one additional agreement on extending the deadline, indeed stretched until November 6. The NBA and NBPA gained additional time to determine the schedule of the next season.
The involved parties are split between starting before Christmas or in January. The players are leaning towards tipping off the season on MLK Day, while NBA prefers December 22 citing financial issues stemming from a later start date. The NBA projects additional lost revenues of $500 million to $1 billion.
The NBA wishes to avoid direct competition with the Olympic Games planned for next summer by proposing a shortened 72-game regular season to begin December 22 and complete the playoffs prior to the start of the Tokyo Games. This plan would also make a more traditional approach to launching the 2021-22 season possible rather than further adjustments.
With no assurances for fans attending the games at all or under restrictions due to the coronavirus health guidelines, the even larger economic impact leads to the disagreement on the reductions in players’ salaries.
The mentioned gaps remaining unresolved can even push the involved parties to eventually opt-out of the collective bargaining agreement. This would end all discussions until further notice and prevent the next season from taking place.
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