The National Basketball League was the first sports league in the United States to shut down due to the arrival of the coronavirus pandemic, following the positive testing of reigning back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert. The NBA took swift action to keep players and fans safe, even though the season was almost finished. Now, more than a couple of months later, it looks as though the NBA could be nearing its return to play. Nothing has become official just yet, but it appears the majority of the league will reunite at Walt Disney World’s Coranado Springs Resort to finish the season in one location.
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Going back to one single location has always made the most sense for the NBA, as it allows the league to keep all players and coaches contained to just one manageable area. This also greatly reduces the risk for travel. Since the talks of resuming play began, Disney World was at the forefront of conversations about possible locations. The resort has worked with the league on several occasions in the past, it has all of the necessary facilities to accommodate basketball, and the company in charge of the parks also owns ESPN.
According to NBA reporter Keith Smith, the NBA and Disney have agreed on Coronado Springs as the host resort when the league resumes play.
Per Walt Disney World sources, Disney and the NBA have agreed that Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort is likely to be the primary host resort for the NBA when they resume the season. Sources say an agreement may be reached this week, which will allow preparations to move quickly.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) June 2, 2020
Everything regarding the restart to the NBA season will likely be decided on this week. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski is reporting that the current proposal for the restart would bring 22 of the 30 NBA teams back into the fold. There would be a brief set of games to conclude the season, along with a “play-in” tournament to determine the field for the playoffs. If this plan is put into place as it currently stands, play would resume at the end of July and Game 7 of the NBA Finals would take place on October 12th, if necessary.
ESPN Sources: As the NBA models a 22-team format for a July 31 resumption in Orlando, the proposed timeline for teams as the last possible date for an NBA Finals Game 7: October 12.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 2, 2020
Many of the details regarding the future of this NBA season will come down to the vote that will likely take place later this week.
