NBA health officials concerned about December start to season?

The 2020-21 NBA season is set to tip off in December, and while it's exciting, health officials are concerned about the start date for various reasons. 

According to ESPN's Baxter Holmes, multiple NBA health officials have expressed concern about the league's Dec. 22 start date. The offseason will be among the shortest in the history of the league for players who competed at the NBA's Walt Disney World bubble. However, some health officials are more concerned about teams that didn't compete in the bubble. 

The eight teams that didn't participate haven't seen real NBA action since March when the league suspended play due to the coronavirus pandemic. Many teams have been holding workouts since then, but officials fear higher chances of soft-tissue injuries once the new campaign begins, Holmes reports. 

There's also belief around the league that teams that went deeper into the playoffs, such as the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers, will rest their star players early on to better prepare them for games deeper into the season.