What happens if the NBA regular season is canceled?

By Nick Crain | Mar 24, 2020

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - MARCH 06: Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans reacts against the Miami Heat during a game at the Smoothie King Center on March 06, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /

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(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /

Long-term impact

Overall, the fate of the remainder of the regular season would result in teams missing out on a chance to make the playoffs as well as make the late-season push for home-court advantage. Additionally, if the regular season were to be cut short, teams would have to go into the playoffs cold and have to get back into the swing of things on the fly.

Regardless of what happens with the remainder of the regular season, the NBA calendar may have to be adjusted. Even if the NBA decides to go straight into the playoffs after the hiatus ends, there is a good chance that the 2020 NBA Draft, free agency, and even the start of the 2020-21 season would have to get pushed back.

While this would be strange, perhaps it would be beneficial. This would give the NFL more of a chance to finish up before starting the NBA regular season. This could mean the NBA would adopt this type of schedule going forward which would change the league forever.

While nobody knows what will happen next in the NBA, there will be many winners, losers, short-term, and long-term changes around the league. It will certainly be interesting to see what happens.

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