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Mark your calendars. The NBA and the Players Association have come to an agreement on a CBA for the 2020-21 season, meaning the regular season will begin on Dec. 22. Free agency will commence on Nov. 20, two days after the NBA Draft.
Per the report from ESPN, the particulars of the season follow what was rumored last week; 72 games, the same salary cap and luxury tax numbers as 2019-20, and a multi-year escrow system so that players will never have more than 20 percent of their salary withheld in a single season.
Another interesting wrinkle is that luxury tax payments will decrease proportionally with the loss in basketball-related income (BRI). For example, if the Clippers have a $20 million luxury tax payment, but BRI falls 40 percent below projection, then the tax bill would also come down 40 percent to $12 million.
The offseason will truly get underway at 3 p.m. PT on Nov. 20 with the start of free agency. There is also an expectation that the trade freeze will be lifted shortly before the draft next week.
The NBA and NBPA have reached agreement on an amended CBA, sources tell @TimBontemps and me. Free agency begins at 6 PM on Nov. 20, with signings allowed at 12:01 PM on Nov. 22.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 10, 2020
The Clippers have several internal free agents to potentially agree to terms with (Montrezl Harrell, Marcus Morris Sr., JaMychal Green, Patrick Patterson, Reggie Jackson) before directing their attention elsewhere. The team would assuredly like to address its need at point guard while also adding a backup center should Harrell and/or Green go elsewhere.
After a seemingly unending hiatus, we’re almost back in business. This free agency period likely won’t be as monumental as last year’s was, but the drama is coming.
More news for Tuesday:
- Steve Ballmer has been named to the NBA’s Social Justice Coalition board.
Sources: NBA Social Justice Coalition Board:
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 9, 2020
Governors: Micky Arison, Steve Ballmer, Clay Bennett, Marc Lasry, Vivek Randadive
Players: Carmelo Anthony, Avery Bradley, Sterling Brown, Donovan Mitchell, Karl-Anthony Towns
Coaches: Lloyd Pierce, Doc Rivers
- Jovan Buha listed the top 25 free agency targets for the Clippers. I am somewhat shocked at how low Moe Harkless came in, considering how successful he was on this very Clippers roster.
- Baxter Holmes learned that health experts have some concerns about the pace of this season combined with the length of the offseason, and that’s before factoring in the coronavirus.
- Kevin Pelton organized next week’s draft prospects into tiers.
- Kevin O’Connor went deep on Tyrell Terry out of Stanford, who has flown up draft boards over the past few months.
- Michael Pina interviewed Jim Gray about his experiences in some seminal sports moments.
- If you enjoyed my look back at Jeopardy! through a Clippers lens, I also wrote about being a contestant on the show this year.