It has been announced that the NBA is inviting 22 teams to resume the season in Orlando with a return date set for July 31.
The wait is officially over. Basketball is back.
As a direct result of the coronavirus pandemic, the National Basketball Association halted all operations, stopping the season in its tracks. We were nearing the playoffs and it was a real shame that some of the league’s best teams, like the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, and more, would not be able to fight it out to see which team would win the NBA Championship. Well, after months of discussions, it looks like basketball is coming back soon.
According to the all-knowing Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the NBA is inviting a total of 22 teams to Orlando to finish out the season. 13 teams from the Western Conference and 9 teams from the Eastern Conference will resume with each squad playing a minimum of 8 regular-season games. A play-in will determine the eighth seed in the playoffs.
So the NBA's inviting 22 teams to Orlando: 13 Western Conference, 9 Eastern Conference. Eight-regular season games per team. Play-in for the 8th seeds. July 31-October 12. Vote tomorrow to ratify.
The NBA's back.— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 3, 2020
The proposed dates for the end of the NBA season, as well as the playoffs, are from July 31 to October 12.
That would normally be the time that NBA free agency begins but, as you all know, this isn’t exactly a normal year.
Although things are still pretty terrible out there, at least we’ll have basketball back to keep us entertained.
Each of the 22 teams will play eight regular season games in Orlando for seeding purposes for the playoffs, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 3, 2020
Sources: Joining the 16 current playoff teams in Orlando: New Orleans, Portland, Phoenix, Sacramento and San Antonio in the West and Washington in the East. If the 9th seed is more than 4 games behind the 8th, No. 8 makes playoffs; Fewer than 4 games, a play-in tournament.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 3, 2020
—HNHH
