NBA and NBPA agree on cap adjustments, start dates for upcoming season

With the NBA Finals ending last month, the league has opted to move quickly into preparing for next season.

In a time where the following season would’ve already been underway, the NBA was faced with a coronavirus shutdown that suspended league play for over four months.

The missed revenue due to the shortened season and missed fans was bound to have an impact on the league. Their desire to swiftly restart the season may have been also met with some pushback.

Thankfully, the two sides, the NBA and NBPA, the player’s association, have come to an agreement. According to NBA.com, the league will restart for the new season on December 22.

The season will have 72 games, ten fewer than the typical 82-game season. Also NBA free agency negotiations, which typically starts with the month of July, will start fewer than 72 hours after the November 18 NBA Draft, which figures to see several Kentucky Wildcats hear their names called.

That said, here’s how the official release phrased the new salary cap policy.

“For the 2020-21 season, the Salary Cap will be $109.140 million and the Tax Level will be $132.627 million. In subsequent seasons of the CBA, the Salary Cap and Tax Level will increase by a minimum of three percent and a maximum of 10 percent over the prior season. Teams’ Tax payments will be reduced in proportion to any BRI decreases.”

There are still several unknowns regarding a new season. It’s far different than the NFL’s so-far successful season. The NBA has almost five times as many games and will have a mere 15 players compared to 55.

Without the bubble to protect them, coronavirus will undoubtedly have an impact on the season, one that the league must prepare for with this sharp restart.