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On Friday, NBA commissioner Adam Silver spoke with players on the league’s contingencies for a potential return to play in 2020.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Silver told players that he hopes the playoffs will include full seven-game series and that they could be played in either Las Vegas or Orlando but a decision to return doesn’t have to be made until after June.
Sources: Silver told players that he still hoped that the playoffs would include a 7-game series in every round. He told players that those series could move faster without the need for travel, staying in a single site. Orlando and Vegas still tops.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 8, 2020
Sources: On call with players today, Adam Silver told NBPA membership: 1) "It would be safer to be in a single location, or two locations, to start." 2) That the NBA doesn't have to make a decision on re-starting in season in May, nor does it have to decide right away in June.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 8, 2020
Silver told players that teams would need a three-week training camp when they get back.
Asked on NBPA call about how long a training camp could be should this season resume, Silver suggested "three weeks" as the minimum length that's been discussed within the league, sources said.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 9, 2020
He also noted there’s a possibility fans will not be allowed into games until there’s a vaccine.
With fans in buildings constituting 40 percent of league revenue, the NBA is working on creative ways on TV to deliver the games to audiences, Silver told players. Silver started to prepare players for possibility of no fans in arenas next year without a vaccine, sources said.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 8, 2020
Silver also answered questions about would happen to players if they tested positive for coronavirus
Sources: On the ever-elusive question — What if a player tests positive upon return — Adam Silver told players the NBA would hope for daily testing at that point and no stoppage of play, having the player(s) isolated in quarantine.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 8, 2020
There are still a lot of questions that need to be answered but it seems like there’s optimism from the NBA’s side that they season can resume this year.