NBA season start by Christmas growing increasingly unlikely?

The NBA’s ambitious plans for a pre-Christmas start date to the 2020-21 season appear to be in serious jeopardy.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, commissioner Adam Silver warned teams that the clock is ticking on the possibility of tipping off the season Dec. 22. At one point, Silver warned NBA general managers that “we’re running out of time” to reach an agreement.

Wojnarowski also notes that the NBPA remains in contact with players to discuss the preferred start date for next season. There is no indication what date the NBA might look at if the December proposal falls through, which is looking increasingly likely.

The December start looked like a longshot for a lot of reasons. It would create a very short offseason, and a very rushed one as well. The proposed date is roughly seven weeks away, and the league has yet to hold the draft or open free agency. It would also create a short layoff for players who played deep into the playoffs. That’s why one NBA veteran had a very honest assessment of why that start date wouldn’t work for some players.