The NBA is planning to resume the season with 22 teams — here are the 8 teams that didn't make the cut
- The NBA is expected to pass a proposal to resume the 2019-20 season with 22 teams, most likely at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
- The new format excludes eight teams who are too far out of the playoff picture to bring back — the Warriors, Cavaliers, Timberwolves, Hawks, Pistons, Knicks, Bulls, and Hornets.
- The 22-team format includes the 16 playoff teams, plus six teams currently in contention to make the playoffs.
NBA teams are expected to approve a proposal to resume the 2019-20 season with 22 teams.
The teams would compete in eight regular-season games, with a possible play-in tournament for the eighth and ninth seeds, before beginning the playoffs. The league is looking at July 31 as a potential tip-off date.
The NBA and its teams debated the best formats to resume as they look to relocated to Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, to stage single-site games.
Bringing 30 teams to Orlando created a bigger risk of someone — a player, coach, staff member, etc. — contracting COVID-19 and included teams too far out of the playoff race. Bringing only the 16 playoff teams didn't create enough games for the NBA to make back some money it has lost (and would lose) from the pandemic suspension.
The proposal to bring back 22 teams includes the 16 playoff teams, plus six teams who are within six games of the eighth seed — the Washington Wizards in the East, the Portland Trail Blazers, New Orleans Pelicans, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, and Phoenix Suns in the West.
That leaves eight teams out of the return:
- Golden State Warriors — 15-50
- Cleveland Cavaliers — 19-46
- Minnesota Timberwolves — 19-45
- Atlanta Hawks — 20-47
- Detroit Pistons — 20-46
- New York Knicks — 21-45
- Chicago Bulls — 22-43
- Charlotte Hornets — 23-42
According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, the Hawks and Bulls both expressed a desire to return to play. However, both players, coaches, and executives in different organizations had said they didn't want to make an effort necessary to come back to play a handful of games.
It's been reported that most organizations had conflicting opinions on the matter.
Though official guidelines haven't been issued yet, the belief is that when the NBA officially announces its return, players will eventually be called back to their markets. They may need to quarantine for 14 days before taking part in a training camp, then flying to Orlando, isolating again, and preparing for games.
According to Charania, Michael Jordan, the Hornets owner, was vocal in his belief that player safety should be the top priority and that there was no point for lottery teams to play meaningless games.
It's unclear how the draft lottery and draft will be affected by the possible new season format. However, for eight teams, the offseason has already begun.
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