As the NBA attempts to find a way to finish the 2019-20 season and crown a champion, commissioner Adam Silver has been preparing teams for the possibility of a delayed start to 2020-21 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
There's support for a December start that extends through late July or August, according to a report by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. That kind of plan might resemble what Hawks CEO Steve Koonin proposed in March as a way to boost TV ratings.
So, what could an adjusted NBA calendar look like, and how would the key dates surrounding games and transactions change? The current cap calendar for all seasons starts on July 1 with free agency and culminates on June 30. Whether or not the 2019-20 season resumes, that will need to be adjusted.
While the league has yet to confirm any plans for the schedule beyond postponing the draft lottery and combine, here is a proposal for how everything could shift if there's a 2020 postseason.
A proposed calendar
In a best-case scenario that has the NBA resuming in mid-June with the NBA Finals occurring in August, the new basketball calendar year would begin on Sept. 1 instead of July 1 -- essentially shifting all relevant dates back by two months.
Besides a Christmas Day start to the 2020-21 season, the biggest change would be moving the NBA draft until after free agency begins. Here's how it would all play out.
Aug. 29, 2020
Last day for a player to exercise his option for the 2020-21 season
The Los Angeles Lakers' Anthony Davis and San Antonio Spurs' DeMar DeRozan will need to decide to opt into their contracts for the 2020-21 season or become free agents by this date.
Aug. 30, 2020
Salary cap and luxury tax are set
Teams can contact free agents or their agents to set up a meeting on Aug. 31
Aug. 31, 2020
Starting at 6 p.m. ET, teams and players are permitted to begin free-agent negotiations
While this year's free-agent class does not have the star power of 2019, all eyes will be on the Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo. The likely MVP and Milwaukee can agree upon the largest contract in NBA history once the clock hits 6 p.m. ET.
Free agents such as the Toronto Raptors' Fred VanVleet and the Brooklyn Nets' Joe Harris also can begin to negotiate new contracts with teams that have cap space. In addition, the star-studded rookie class of 2017 -- led by Donovan Mitchell and Jayson Tatum -- can agree to rookie extensions.
Sept. 1, 2020
The salary cap fiscal calendar officially starts
Minimum contracts can be signed
Sept. 6, 2020
Starting at noon ET, teams are allowed to sign free agents and conduct trades
The free-agent negotiations that began on Aug. 31 can now be solidified. In addition, trades that were previously agreed upon can now be officially completed under the new fiscal year.
Sept. 8, 2020
The NBA draft
Under this proposed scenario, the draft would shift to after the start of free agency, similar to how the NFL operates, with the lottery occurring in June.
This would not only eliminate the confusion on draft night with agreed-upon trades that cannot be finalized until after the new cap calendar begins -- like the delayed Anthony Davis deal last season -- but it also would lead to teams having better understandings of their rosters when making draft decisions.
As teams try to deal with multiple complications when evaluating prospects during the pandemic, the NBA allowing free agency to happen first could help franchises better prepare. The extra two weeks would give teams more time to potentially bring in draft prospects for individual workouts and in-person interviews. Currently, teams are only allowed to interview prospects virtually.
Sept. 18 to Oct. 1, 2020
Rookie Fall League (formerly Las Vegas Summer League)
Although Las Vegas has been the destination for summer league, the NBA will need to examine if this site will be the safest and most feasible option -- if it's possible to host a summer league at all.
An alternative to having all 30 teams congregate at one site would be for the NBA to institute rookie league locations. One team from each division could host a mini-rookie league in a self-contained environment without fans.
This would be similar to the Orlando Summer League that had been held up until the summer of 2019.
Oct. 15 to Oct. 20, 2020
Voluntary minicamp
Due to such a long hiatus, this voluntary minicamp would give teams and their players an early start to the 2020-21 season. This would help non-playoff teams that are looking at close to nine months without any on-court activities.
Dec. 1, 2020
Start of training camp
Dec. 7, 2020
Preseason begins
Similar to a fall league, one option for the preseason would be for teams to do preseason group play based on location.
For example, Brooklyn, New York, Philadelphia, Boston and perhaps Washington could look to create a slate of games that would limit travel.
Dec. 21, 2020
Rosters set for opening day
Last date to sign a rookie extension
Extension-eligible stars such as Mitchell and Tatum likely will have agreed upon new long-term contracts starting on Aug. 31. However, in the event that negotiations stall, Dec. 21 would be the last day to come to an agreement.
Dec. 25, 2020
Opening day of the regular season
Dec. 31, 2020
The last date to exercise an option year in a rookie contract.
March 1, 2021
10-day contracts can be signed
March 6, 2021
All contracts become guaranteed
April 8, 2021
Trade deadline (3 p.m. ET)
April 16 to April 18, 2021
All-Star Weekend
June 16, 2021
Regular season ends
June 19, 2021
Start of the playoffs
July 13, 2021
NBA draft lottery
July 13 to July 18, 2021
NBA combine
Aug. 1, 2021
Start of the NBA Finals
Aug. 16, 2021
Last possible date of the NBA Finals