NBA and National Basketball Players Association agree 2020-21 season start

The National Basketball Association (NBA) and National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) have agreed on the 2020-21 season start and a range of adjustments to certain provisions of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The two parties have currently agreed in principle to the following:

• The 2020-21 season will begin on 22 December.
• The 2020-21 season will feature each team playing a 72-game schedule.
• A new system will be used to ensure the parties’ agreed-upon split of basketball-related income (BRI).
• In the event player compensation were to exceed the players’ designated share in any season, necessary salary reductions beyond the standard 10 percent escrow would be spread across that season and potentially the following two seasons.
• 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.
• Free agent negotiations will begin on 20 November 6pm (ET), with signings starting at 12:01pm (ET) on 22 November.

The agreement is still subject to a vote by the league’s board of governors at this stage.