The NBA Board of Governors is set to meet Friday and, according to Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports, commissioner Adam Silver is using this time to “focus on getting the next season started on track.”
Goodwill mentions that “on track” could mean starting the season on MLK Day, Jan. 18, with a lesser chance at a Christmas Day start, but reshaping the season to an October to June league year is the end goal.
Which of these restart dates favor the Sixers? With a new head coach, staff and front office members, more time to gel and mend would play directly into the Sixers’ hands.
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League-wise, I see the NBA facing a much tougher dilemma when it comes to how next season will look. Barring any changes in the coronavirus pandemic, returning teams to their home arenas outside of a bubble would be a colossal decision.
The optics of having nearly 100 consecutive days with no positive tests inside the NBA Bubble in Orlando and then returning to teams traveling between cities with a dramatic increase in the risk of contracting COVID-19 is a bad look.
Think about the coronavirus outbreaks MLB and the NFL have endured. Playing outside of the bubble substantially increases players' exposure. Maybe the NBA can have four regional bubbles instead of returning to the Disney World model that helped it finish the season. Will the league allow fans to attend games indoors depending on the laws and edicts of each state? Will any players choose to opt out of the season, considering the risk involved?
All viable ideas I’m sure the Commissioner and Board of Governors are considering. We batted these topics around on the latest Sixers Talk podcast:
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