As the NBA and Players Association continue to navigate unchartered waters in the current state of the league, the 2020 NBA Draft is set to be pushed back a month from the previously projected date. Originally slated to take place Oct. 15, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Wednesday that the league and player’s union were close to finalizing a new draft date of Nov. 18.
The date will be discussed and finalized at this week’s Board of Governors and general managers meeting. Wojnarowski also reported on the memo sent by the league to teams on the reasoning for postponing the draft over a full month.
In a memo to teams today, the NBA explains that pushing the draft date back from October 16 allows for a pre-draft prep and a combine, more time to gather information on the potential start date for next season, and the advancing of talks with the NBPA on CBA matters.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 9, 2020
A significant part of why teams wanted that draft pushed back — in this case, likely a month to November 18 — was to allow the NBA and NBPA more time to negotiate the new salary cap numbers for 2020-2021. Teams need those figures to be able to conduct trades around the draft.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 9, 2020
The new date would be interesting with regards to LaMelo Ball. Because of his early finish to the National Basketball League season, Ball will see his already extended absence grow even longer. His last game came on Nov. 30, 2019.
As Wojnarowski notes, by pushing the date back a month, it allows league and teams to hold a draft combine and, potentially, pre-draft workouts. The league discussed the possibility of regional pre-draft combines last month.
