There's still a lot to figure out, but the 2020-21 NBA season is starting to take shape.
As more reports come out related to the start of the upcoming season, we'll update this file with more information.
When will the season start?
The NBA and NBA have reached an agreement in principle to begin the 2020-21 NBA season on Dec. 22.
On Nov. 5, the National Basketball Players Association announced in a statement that their Board of Player Representatives had "tentatively" approved a start date of Dec. 22. That would pave the way for Christmas Day games, an important date on the NBA calendar.
NBPA STATEMENT ON THE 2020-2021 NBA SEASON START DATE AND SCHEDULE
— NBPA (@TheNBPA) November 6, 2020
🔗: https://t.co/BmNtnYsm63 pic.twitter.com/AvCaVAOWK7
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the NBA is targeting Dec. 11-19 for preseason. It appears as though teams will play three or four preseason games.
How long will the season last?
Per the agreement, there will be a 72-game regular season, which means the season would finish before the Summer Olympics, which has been rescheduled to start on July 23, 2021.
When will the draft and free agency take place?
Nothing further has changed with the 2020 NBA Draft — it's still scheduled for Nov. 18.
As for free agency, negotiations will begin at 6:00 p.m. (ET) on Nov. 20 and signings will be allowed starting at 12:01 p.m. (ET) on Nov. 22.
According to ESPN's Tim Bontemps, training camps are expected to begin on Dec. 1.
What's the salary cap going to be?
The NBA and NBPA revealed in a statement that the salary cap will be $109.1 million and the luxury tax will be $132.6 million for the upcoming season.
Will fans be allowed in arenas?
That's the multimillion-dollar question.
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that the NBA is aiming to have arena suits open to 25-to-50 percent capacity for the tipoff of the 2020-21 season based on local regulations.
There would be protocols in place, such as masks, social distancing and testing, Charania adds.
The coronavirus pandemic has made life fluid, and a clinical vaccine will play a role in this too. NBA's goal is some amount of fans to start the season, depending on each market's restrictions. Courtside fans, for instance, would be about 10-to-12 feet away, sources said. https://t.co/9I9cdN1gN3
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 5, 2020
With coronavirus cases on the rise in the United States, there's a lot to navigate.
Where will the Toronto Raptors play?
Due to the complications of international travel during the coronavirus pandemic, the Raptors — the NBA's only team outside of the United States — might have to set up a temporary home in the United States.
Several places have been mentioned as possible destinations for the Raptors, but there have been no reports on anything being finalized.
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