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NBA Reaches Deal With Players to Start 72-Game Season on Dec. 22

NBA Reaches Deal With Players to Start 72-Game Season on Dec. 22

The National Basketball Association reached an agreement with the league’s union to start play again on Dec. 22, less than three months after the final buzzer of last season.

The NBA is planning a shortened, 72-game season, according to a statement released late Monday night. The start date before Christmas will let the league draw viewers during the holidays and wrap up before the Summer Olympics scheduled for around mid-July. NBA seasons are typically 82 games.

The negotiations included adjusting the current collective bargaining agreement to account for the pandemic, which has roiled sports schedules. Last season was delayed by four months and finished in an isolated “bubble” at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

The 2020-2021 season will include a salary cap of $109.1 million and the tax level will be $132.6 million, according to the statement. In subsequent years, the limit will increase by 3% to 10% over the prior season.

The agreement still needs to be approved by the league’s board of governors. The details of the games and broadcast schedule will be released later.

©2020 Bloomberg L.P.