NBA Commissioner Adam Silver talked 2020-21 season. Pool Photo-USA TODAY Sports

Adam Silver: Next season unlikely to begin before 2021

By Blake Harper | Last updated 9/22/20

The NBA bubble has been an overwhelming success, but with the season coming to a close, fans are already starting to look toward next season. While there was initially speculation about the season possibly starting as soon as December, commissioner Adam Silver told Bob Costas his "best guess" is that the season won't begin until 2021.

Silver: "Best guess is that won't season won't start till 2021... the more I'm learning, I continue to believe we'll be better getting into January. The goal for us next season is to play a standard season, 82-game season and playoffs. In home arenas, in front of fans."
— Mirjam Swanson (@MirjamSwanson) September 22, 2020

The fact that the season is being delayed shouldn't come as a surprise considering that we are very much in the middle of a global pandemic. However, the surprising part is that the NBA seems to believe that they will be able to play games in front of fans next year.

Silver doesn't provide any details about how many fans he expects to be in attendance at games, but it could look something like what the NFL is doing, with stadiums being filled at partial capacity in order to limit the risk of COVID-19 spreading. Considering how the NBA has seemed to be miles ahead of other leagues when it came to preparing for COVID-19, Silver is surely formulating a plan to limit exposure.

As for the length of the season, that should come as no surprise, as the idea of not having teams play a full season was a huge roadblock in making the bubble happen in the first place.

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