Covid and the rest of the 2019-2020 schedule

[theBigLip]

I'm sure everyone has an opinion on this topic. First and foremost, I hope everyone is safe and not getting crushed financially.

That being said, the NBA has some issues. Unlike baseball and football, but like hockey, this whole thing came during the middle of the season. That makes things a lot more difficult to deal with for sure.

I'm sure the NBA (and us fans) want to see the season finished. I think it will happen. But this is how I think it will happen:
- no fans will be allowed at the games
- it is likely the games are all played in Vegas (or some other location) so teams are not constantly traveling
- the regular season will be shortened or scrapped altogether
- it will take several weeks or even a month for players to get into game shape, so there will be some delay starting up

So I think that is the easy part. A few other things that are issues:
- How does this schedule coincide with next season? Can't finish this season in October...
- When do you do the draft? Wait until the season ends or do it as scheduled?
- Free agency is going to be crazy tight. If the season ends in August, then that just leaves September to get it done.

Interesting questions, although I'm confident Adam Silver will do the best possible for the players, league and the fans. But not an easy path to navigate.

[Uncle Mxy]

Personally, this thread should be "COVID=19 and the start of the 2020-2021 schedule".
Are we going to have 5000+ people showing up in in an arena by October?
The answer to that will go a long way toward figuring out what to do for the rest of 2019-2020.
Lots of contracts and such are tied to calendar dates moreso than NBA seasons.

[theBigLip]

I don't know if we will even be having fans next season. Until there is a vaccine or treatment, that just doesn't seem likely. But the TV contract still brings in $$$, so that is probably how it will be.

As for contracts tied to the calendar, I think Silver has a good relationship with the players union and they will come up with a solution, which would be basically shifting the big dates and make contracts relative to that.

[Billl]

Personally, this thread should be "COVID=19 and the start of the 2020-2021 schedule".
Are we going to have 5000+ people showing up in in an arena by October?
The answer to that will go a long way toward figuring out what to do for the rest of 2019-2020.
Lots of contracts and such are tied to calendar dates moreso than NBA seasons.

I'm not sure we had 5000+ people showing up to our games BEFORE covid-19! We didn't know that playing in empty stadiums would be the new it thing.

[DBC10]

The one interesting wrinkle is how the contracts will play out for this season along with free agency.

The regular season should honestly just get canceled and maybe if they really wanted to play, lock the playoffs as to how they’re currently seeded now. Have a special playoff format with also no fans in the arena because who wants to socially distance in a crowded arena where the virus transmits through the mouth and air? That’s how the virus spread fast in Korea and China because of all the yelling and crowding. Absolutely enforce all players playing in the playoffs to social distance and only go out for essentials while wearing PPE so that the NBA doesn’t embarrass themselves by having another outbreak during the playoffs.

[MotownMadness]

Lets just skip to the draft and lottery

[Uncle Mxy]

As for contracts tied to the calendar, I think Silver has a good relationship with the players union and they will come up with a solution, which would be basically shifting the big dates and make contracts relative to that.

It's not just about players. All the venue/staffing/media/logistics/travel contracts will matter if the world's getting back to normal enough for NBA action. Especially with the Pistons not owning their arena, they're not calling the shots on a big component. A whole lot of the world has to boot, and isn't going to boot quickly if the masses don't project to show up.

[Kilo]

NBA will switch to being a summer season sport. Next season begins Dec 25th and runs through to the finals around Labor Day.

I can dig it. So much better leaving a Piston game into a Michigan summer evening rather than a friggin Michigan winter. Also better for FA recruitment.

[bstein14]

I think they could get away with just playing an 8 team playoffs with the current top 4 from each conference (sorry Philly, OKC, Houston) and starting in mid June and going into early August. Allow teams to bring 10 players as well as head coach, two assistants and a trainer.

2nd round, NBA Conference Finals, NBA Finals. Should mean 80 players and 32 staff members all tested and in quarantine until they are eliminated or the playoffs are over. A few select reports also in quarantine. None of these players can have any access to the outside world for us to two to two and a half months depending on how long it takes to get trough training to get back into shape.

Lakers vs Jazz
Clippers vs Denver

Bucks vs Heat
Raptors vs Celtics

They should announce that the regular season is over soon so the draft lottery can go on as normal. If the season gets suspended for too much longer Durant might end up being back.

[pistonsbball]

If the regular season starts again the tanking is gonna be so damn blatant and ugly. I'm not sure there's really any point to sending bad teams back out there.

Maybe the NBA gets a free look at their play-in tournament idea. They can relaunch the season on a weekend with 9v10 then the winner v 8. Would give these teams a leg up in terms of conditioning, though. To prepare teams you could have cross-conference exhibition games ala pre-season but I'm not sure you want to be playing any unnecessary games.

If they start up in mid June they can still wrap up the season by August. A lot of progress can be made between now and then.

[bulldogsjc]

...

[Manocad]

I don’t care. And I don’t mean that in the sense that I stopped watching basketball, but in the sense that whatever the league decides to do is what they’re going to do, and I really don’t have any preference as to what that action is.

[Pharaoh]

I don’t care. And I don’t mean that in the sense that I stopped watching basketball, but in the sense that whatever the league decides to do is what they’re going to do, and I really don’t have any preference as to what that action is.

Same.

I'm more interested in when they'll draw the ping pong balls than games. I can watch whatever games I want already!


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[Canadafan]

Hmmmm

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/258672/Eight-Non-Restart-Teams-Nearing-Deal-To-Play-September-Games-In-Chicago

[Kilo]

Hmmmm

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/258672/Eight-Non-Restart-Teams-Nearing-Deal-To-Play-September-Games-In-Chicago

Seems strange to try. I can't imagine vets will take part, and others opt out because of COVID concerns and it meaningless. Free agents don't want to risk injury either. But since it's still "in season" teams can only use current roster.

Wood, Galloway, Knight, Henson, Maker all pending FA's. Rose and Griffin probably don't take part either already in off-season mode doing their own thing.

So our squad - Bone, McRae, Brown, Kennard, Thomas, King, Doumbouya, Patton, Mykhailiuk and Snell.

[flow]

Hmmmm

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/258672/Eight-Non-Restart-Teams-Nearing-Deal-To-Play-September-Games-In-Chicago

Seems strange to try. I can't imagine vets will take part, and others opt out because of COVID concerns and it meaningless. Free agents don't want to risk injury either. But since it's still "in season" teams can only use current roster.

Wood, Galloway, Knight, Henson, Maker all pending FA's. Rose and Griffin probably don't take part either already in off-season mode doing their own thing.

So our squad - Bone, McRae, Brown, Kennard, Thomas, King, Doumbouya, Patton, Mykhailiuk and Snell.

That would be fine with me. We can see if Patton can play, and confirm that Bone & King can't. Not at this level, anyway.

Although, if it's basically just going to be a glorified summer league, then we probably won't be confirming those things.

No way Kennard plays in this. Nor should he.

[Uncle Mxy]

BIG3 format has possibilities, here.