By Eurohoops Team/ [email protected]
The 2019-20 NBA season is widely expected to restart at some point. However, the league is still considering various options, including health safety and competition formats.
The vast majority of the NBA general managers leaned toward a play-in tournament to determine the playoffs field. Approximately 75% voted for the play-in tournament in the recent survey issued by the NBA, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. The remaining 25% preferred a group stage to resume action.
The prevailing option would lead playoff bubble teams into a tournament to complete the playoffs field alongside higher-ranked sides. The group stage would feature 20 teams split into four groups with the best W-L runs advancing to the playoffs.
The survey was discussed in Thursday’s conference call with commissioner Adam Silver. Other topics on the table featured the GMs unanimously agreeing that the rosters should be expanded for the postseason.
A board of governors call is scheduled to take place on Friday, but no decisions regarding a plan to conclude the 2019-20 campaign are expected, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Apart from scheduling issues, teams are expected to discuss moving the free-agency period ahead of the draft.
There is no clarity on how the NBA will resurface, but resuming action at Orlando in a bubble environment hosting players with a limited number of family members is the basis of the plan moving forward.
Most teams have either re-opened or a set to re-open their training facilities for voluntary workouts. Players departing during the coronavirus pandemic will be recalled to join practices aiming to be ready for the season resumption.
Pushing the 2019-20 season deep into the summer will likely force adjustments to the 2020-21 schedule. Potentially moving the next season into the summer period will directly affect NBA players hoping to compete in the Olympic Games and the preceding Olympic Qualifying tournaments.
The 2019-20 season was suspended on March 11 as a result of the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
alm_page: 1alm_current: 1almitem: 1alm_found_posts: 1
