Report: 14 of 22 NBA teams will be eliminated within 53 days

It appears the NBA is attempting to ease worries supposedly had by groups of players about resuming the 2019-20 season — halted because of the coronavirus pandemic on March 11 — at the bubble site of Orlando's Walt Disney World Resort. 

On Wednesday, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that as many as 50 players questioned the Association's plans for the 22-team model to crown a champion for the altered campaign during a recent conference call. This led to the NBA expanding rosters from 15 to 17 players to account for those who have second thoughts either before or after they join their teams. 

However, Wojnarowski and Bobby Marks added on Thursday that the league has informed players that 14 of 22 teams will be eliminated within 53 days after players arrive in Orlando. It's expected that six teams will be bounced from the competition within 40 days at the most. Additionally, just four teams will be left after 67 days.

This is significant because the league has said that family members can't join those at the temporary basketball hub until the opening round of the playoffs concludes. 

Some members of the National Basketball Players Association may still balk at the idea of being away from spouses and children from mid-July through the end of August, but knowing that period is shorter than first feared may be enough to push the union across the finish line in final negotiations to begin training camps around July 9-11.