The NBA is reportedly considering radical changes to its schedule for the 2021-22 season, according to a report from ESPN’s Kevin Arnovitz.
Arnovitz says the league is considering a number of options, including a mid-season tournament, play-in games for the postseason and a shortened regular season.
The changes wouldn’t necessarily be permanent, according to Arnovitz. Instead, they would serve as a “pilot program” while the NBA celebrates its 75th season and evaluates how the league schedule could look going forward.
NBA detractors have long been calling for a shortened regular season, especially as the league enters Year 2 of the “load management” era. However, existing TV contracts would make a shortened season impossible — or at the very least, costly to the league’s owners.
By instituting a mid-season, cup-style tournament, some players could opt to rest while the NBA still maintains value with its television partners — both locally and nationally.
The Ringer’s Bill Simmons proposed a plan on Twitter Wednesday afternoon that makes sense: Play 72 regular season games, which equates to playing every team twice and conference opponents a third time.
According to the New York Times’ Marc Stein’s report from May 28, NBA commissioner Adam Silver says change is “inevitable” in regards to a mid-season tournament or a postseason play-in tournament.
From a gambling perspective, this is great news. A mid-season cup would be far more interesting for casual fans and bettors than the final two weeks of the regular season. The same goes for a play-in tournament, which could generate drama and intrigue that’s usually lacking in the NBA calendar until the conference finals.
This news comes just as the NBA enters its most unpredictable free agency period since Kevin Durant left for the Warriors in 2016. Durant, who declined his player option on Wednesday, is an unrestricted free agent. The Brooklyn Nets are currently the favorites to land his services.
NBA free agency officially opens on June 30.