NBA training camps will begin later this month: report
The NBA Board of Governors voted 29-1 in favour of the league’s return-to-play plan, which calls for 22 teams to restart the season, according to reports from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
Sources: Portland was the lone team that voted against the 22-team format. https://t.co/WxxADXEkNb
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 4, 2020
Training camps will begin later this month, on June 30, according to Charania’s report, with teams travelling to Orlando on July 7 and resuming the regular season on July 31.
All games will be played at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex, located at Walt Disney World. Disney World will also be where teams will live for the remainder of the season, at one of the resort’s many hotels.
Sources: The NBA informed the Board of Governors of scheduled dates:
– Training camp: June 30, July 7 travel to Orlando
– 2019-20 season: July 31
– Free agency: Oct. 18
– 2020-21 targets: Nov. 10 training camp, Dec. 1 opening night (can remain fluid)— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 4, 2020
Teams are expected to hold training camps at their home cities, though the Toronto Raptors may be the lone exception.
Canada’s mandatory 14-day quarantine rule would slow training progress for any players returning to Toronto from outside of the country. This could mean that Raptors players will instead head straight to Orlando, and hold camp there.
A number of other key dates were revealed by the NBA’s two premiere insiders.
NBA has set an August 25 Draft Lottery and October 15 Draft, sources say.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 4, 2020
The NBA Finals will be completed by October 12 at the latest, with the NBA Draft taking place on October 15 and free agency kicking off on October 18. The draft lottery is set for August 25.
The league will likely have its shortest offseason ever, with the NBA aiming to hold training camps beginning on November 10, prior to starting the 2020-21 season on December 1.