Training camp likely to begin on December 1st

According to Marc Stein if the NBA season begins on December 22nd, training camp will begin on December 1st.

The NBA off season schedule has been largely unknown minus the NBA draft happening on November 18th. At first it seemed January 18th, (MLK Day) was a likely date for the NBA to restart. But according to multiple sources the NBA is aiming for a December restart so they can play as many games as possible and finish the season as close to the regular June ending the NBA is accustomed to.

Issues with a December 1st Training Camp

The main issue with such a fast start is the teams who played deep into the bubble will have significantly less rest than they would in a normal season. Typically there is a four month gap between the last Finals game and opening night of the next season. If the NBA starts in December that gap will be cut in half.

Free agency is also a mystery. When will it start? How much time between free agency and the start of the season? And what is the salary cap? All these issues need to be addressed and having a short gap between when this timeline is official and when we restart will add stress and pressure on players who’ve already experienced a lot of that this year.

In the end cash is king

Ultimately, I believe we’ll start in December. I’m not a fan of it and I think it’s way too early. But capitalism is king and a quicker restart means less money lost and a potential return to normalcy for the 2021/22 NBA season. So it’s looking like a December restart is bound to happen if the players union approves of it.