We’re one step closer to basketball.
The NBA’s board of governors on Thursday approved the league’s 22-team format to resume the 2019-20 season in Orlando, Fla., sources told ESPN.
The proposal, which required three-fourths support from NBA owners, reportedly passed with a 29-1 vote. Only the Portland Trail Blazers voted against the proposal, per ESPN.
The NBA season has been on pause since March 11 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Sources told ESPN teams will begin training in Orlando starting July 9-11, with an eye toward the season resuming July 31 and continuing until as late as Oct. 12.
Target NBA schedule from '19-'20 to '20-'21 season
∙ Training camp – July 9-11
∙ '19-'20 season – July 31-Oct. 12
∙ Draft lottery – Aug. 25
∙ NBA Draft – Oct. 15
∙ Free agency – Oct. 18
∙ '20-'21 training camp – Nov. 10
∙ '20-'21 season start – Dec. 1(via @wojespn) pic.twitter.com/H1C8N60DKn
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 4, 2020
The National Basketball Players Association’s team player representatives reportedly have a conference call set for Friday to approve the proposal, under which 13 Western Conference teams and nine Eastern Conference teams will play eight regular-season games, a possible play-in tournament for the eighth seed and playoffs at the Walt Disney World Resort, sources told ESPN.
The top eight teams in the Western Conference and Eastern Conference — 16 teams total — reportedly will be joined by those teams currently within six games of eighth place in the two conferences: the Blazers, New Orleans Pelicans, San Antonio Spurs, Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns and Washington Wizards.
