San Antonio Spurs: The 2020-21 NBA season might start later than expected

NBA commissioner Adam Silver alluded to the fact that the 2020-21 season may not start when they expected it to, delaying the San Antonio Spurs’ return.

Even though the season just ended for the San Antonio Spurs, it’s hard not to be excited about next season. Having sports back in these trying times has been tremendous for the entertainment and wellbeing of people throughout the world. Still, we have to be smart and patient in regards to how we proceed, so the return to play for the silver and black could take longer than expected.

During the 2020 NBA Draft lottery, in which the Spurs got the eleventh pick, NBA commissioner Adam Silver was brought live on the telecast for a brief chat. ESPN’s Rachel Nichols asked him about the NBA restart and what’s to come for this league. She alluded to the league’s initial timeline that suggested a December 1 start-date for the 2020-21 season, which Silver doesn’t feel is as plausible now that we inch closer to it.

Silver stated that getting fans back in arenas is the main priority of the league right now and rightfully so. That’s a major revenue stream that’s been removed from the equation which impacts the salary cap for players, coaches, staff members and executives. It also takes away from the environment of an NBA game and the connection that this league has with its fans.

Adam Silver tells me what's surprised him in the Bubble, plus that the original plan to start next season Dec 1, is now "feeling a little bit early to me." He said "our No. 1 goal is to get fans back in our arenas" & if that becomes possible, "that's what we would be targeting." pic.twitter.com/9kwWk085uE

— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) August 21, 2020

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So it’s sounding like the league won’t be ready to start back up in December, though nothing has been finalized. This entire plan — Including the NBA’s Orlando Bubble itself — was conceptualized with a fluid schedule. Nothing has been set in stone until the day teams began to arrive in Orlando and if an outbreak did take place, the league would’ve shut down again immediately.

The narrative expanded today as ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski announced that Silver held a meeting with the NBA’s Board of Governors today to discuss the league’s timeline. Some of the main topics discussed include a delay to the 2020 NBA Draft, the beginning of free agency and the start-time of the 2020-21 season. Nothing is finalized, however, so the league could pivot from this train of thought if necessary.

This doesn’t impact the Spurs differently from how it impacts any other team. The mid-October NBA Draft could be delayed so that teams can hold workouts via conference call or even in-person, with the proper protocols. If the virus clears up, fans will officially be allowed back into arenas at the start of the arena, though raging COVID-19 numbers make that a long shot at this point in time.

Regardless of how the league operates, we can all trust that Silver will make the decision that is best for the league, its fans, its player and personnel.