When the NBA sent teams a 130+ page memo to teams outlining coronavirus procedures for this season, it included a list of the upcoming NBA season’s key dates. Most of these were already known, but it was good to see them listed again in one place.
Dec. 1-5: Individual player workouts
Dec. 1-5: Media week
Dec. 6: Group workouts begin for teams
Dec. 11-19: Preseason games
Dec. 22, 2020 — March 5, 2021: First half of NBA season
March 5-10: All-Star break
March 11-May 16: Second half of regular season
May 13-15: Hall of Fame class of 2020 enshrinement
May 18-21: Play-in tournament
May 22-July 22: Playoffs and NBA Finals
Here are the notes on those key NBA dates:
• Media week is zoom calls and player/coach interviews that teams traditionally do on one day at the start of camp.
• The schedule for the first half of the NBA season will be released in the coming days, the second half will be held off until later (allowing time for adjustments due to canceled games or other unforeseen events). The preseason schedule has already been released.
• While there is an All-Star break for five days, there will not be a traditional All-Star weekend.
• The finalized date for the trade deadline has yet to be set.
• The Hall of Fame announced months ago that the enshrinement ceremony for this legendary class would be pushed back to May 13-15, 2021, and the entire festivities will be moved to Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut. Kobe Bryant, who was tragically killed in January in a helicopter crash, headlined a decorated class also featuring Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett.
• The target date of ending the season by July 22 was to avoid going head-to-head with the Tokyo Olympics, scheduled to start July 23. How many NBA players will participate remains to be seen, and in some cases will depend on how well their team does in the playoffs.
