It took a few extra months to get to the finish line of the 2019/20 season. The starting point of next season is now shrouded in mystery.
As we noted earlier today, there’s great uncertainty regarding next season’s schedule.
In June, the league projected a December 1 start to next season. In September, the league office told the league’s Board of Governors the season wouldn’t start until after Christmas. There were projections that the season might start as late as March.
That all changed during a Board of Governors meeting last week, as the league’s finance committee recommended a pre-Christmas start date. Naturally, Christmas Day is normally a showcase for the league with a handful of games spread throughout the holiday but the revenue concerns come more at the back end than the front end.
The restart playoffs were a TV ratings dud, as fans were not accustomed to watching regular season and postseason games during the summertime and early fall. There’s also a strong desire among the league’s power brokers to have some sense of normalcy by the 2021/22 season, with that season beginning with a usual starting point in late October.
However, selling the players on this plan won’t be a slam dunk, particularly among the playoff participants. During a TV interview on Monday, Lakers guard Danny Green predicted numerous players would sit out the early portion of the season, adding that “I wouldn’t expect [LeBron James] to be there for the first month of the season.”
A quick turnaround would also make it much less likely to have fans in the stands as well as shortening the free agency period following the November draft. On the flip side. an earlier start date could preserve as much as $500MM in revenue, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
That leads us to our question of the day: Should the NBA start next season around Christmas in order to finish earlier in the summer? Or should the league wait until later in the winter in order to give the players more rest and increase the chances of having fans in the stands?
Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.
It’s a clear choice of economics and the end-product.
Start early, they’ll protect the bottom-line, but run the risk of having a multitude of ill-prepared teams, sloppy play all around.
There’s not much time between the draft, free-agency and the start of the proposed pre-Christmas start date …….. teams will have a very compacted training camp.
Lord only knows what happens to the league without Lebron for a month ……… the LAKERS suddenly become the PELICANS circa 2015.
Can’t have the NBA missing its so-called “best player”, can we?
“So called” lol name 1 player better than LeBron. If you say Harden you need your head examined.
You gave question and answer. Good job
My dude anyone who actually thinks Harden or Westbrook are M lol V lol P candidates in 2020 just aint right.
I’m so glad you think Steph is better than Bron.
Finally we agree on something.
Steph has ZERO Finals MVPs. LOL. Dude had to be carried by KD.
Also not sure how you can have sloppy play, these are professionals and the bubble forces everyone to focus on the game.
I believe that it is perfectly acceptable for any player to opt out of regular season games as long as they are willing to forfeit the game check. Simple as that. Yes it is tiring, but these guys are getting paid ridiculous money. I don’t think it is asking too much for them to work when they sore or tired. There are plenty of factory workers and landscapers out there that are far more tired than these guys that work 50-60 hours a week just to pay the cable/satellite bills so they can watch their favorite players sit out games because they played 35 minutes yesterday. I understand that the lives of these guys is not the same as regular joes, but the only reason that is true is because of those regular joes.
I get you bro. Spoken like a true working man.
However, thus far, no one has officially come out yet, teams, players, NBPA objecting or denouncing what’s only a proposal at this point.
Like I said, there’s the risk of putting out an imbalanced, sloppy product if the league opens early.
Who knows what storylines come out, when, say a Lebron-less LAKERS start the season 1-8 …….. Jesus Christ, the league will go bat-sh1t crazy.
AD will probably do a double-take on his jersey, think he was back with the PELICANS.
Ah yes, lets wreck the whole league because the Lakers started 1-8 and probably would still make the playoffs anyway.
I partially agree with you. It’s a bit complex, though. You raise good points but one could make an argument most jobs also provide paid time off. Maybe you allow players to sit out up to 3 paid, then they start forfeiting checks? It’s a complicated issue.
Sir you don’t understand apparently, tired players that push through often become injured players. You wanna talk about wasted money, talk about paying LeBron to sit all season for 40 million dollars because some fans were upset a rich man would want a break. Look at the work CEO and board members do for their millions in the business world and they ain’t even got talent.
A break? I’m sorry, but at most NBA teams play 4 games a week, 35 minutes a game. That’s not that much for the best athletes in the world. Some people run that much or more and THEN work full time. If they are getting tired playing a couple of hours a week, then maybe they should be in better shape.
I’m not trying to say that players shouldn’t get rest, but I’m also not going to pity people that are being paid to be athletic for being too tired to run. Earn your money.
How can Lebron possibly sit out the first month without punishment?
Because the league owner (Nike) says do.
Has LBJ said so? Don’t think so! I can envision many stars being lazy & not wanting to play, but… LBJ!!! Come on give me a break, he would jump tomorrow to the court to start the season!!!
… while holdout-er Kawhi can load-manage all he wants to.
It’s time LJ took a vacay. Let’s not forget boredom will be a factor as will “wildcat” actions, as well as injury.
Time for LeBron James to find a new team to bring a championship to.
Time for LeBron James to team hop once again to do exactly what KD was eviscerated for, but NBA media loves hypocrisy when it comes to a player Steph Curry is better at basketball than.
It seems more like he doesn’t want to and he is using lebrons name as a shield. I personally am not a fan of lebron but don’t speak for someone else unless you can say they will or won’t not some wishy washey maybe or maybe not.
Start on Christmas Day, play 81 games, the end.