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The NBA Board of Governors gave final approval Tuesday to the agreement with the players’ union on the December 22 start date for the 2020-21 season.
The measure confirms the details worked out by the parties Monday night. The upcoming season will include 72 regular-season games, down from a typical season of 82 games.
Other key finalized dates include the National Basketball Association (NBA) draft on November 18, the opening of free agent negotiations on November 20, and the first day players can sign free agent agreements on November 22. November.
With the 2019-20 season just ending through October due to delays from the COVID-19 pandemic, the typical start of a new season in late October had to be abandoned.
The previous regular season was cut short on March 11 due to the pandemic and did not resume until more than four months later in a “bubble” environment near Orlando. The Los Angeles Lakers won the championship on October 11, four months later than the season normally ends.
The December 22 start date for the upcoming season will allow the league to have its annual game display on Christmas Day.
Another provision already announced Monday: a salary cap of $ 109.1 million for next season and a luxury tax threshold of $ 132.7 million, both figures unchanged from last season.
Under the collective bargaining agreement, the salary cap will increase between 3 and 10 percent each subsequent season, although the tax impact would be reduced if the league’s revenues decline from one season to the next.
The league has yet to announce if and when fans will be allowed to attend the games. – Reuters
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