The NBA and the Players’ Union have agreed on starting the 2020/21 season on December 22, according to an announcement made on Monday.

Aside from the start date, the salary cap and the number of games, the free agency dates were also agreed on. According to the announcement made, the NBA Draft will take place on November 18 with a free agency from November 20.

Furthermore, the salary cap is set at $109.1m, albeit all proposals are subject to ratification by the board of Governors.

The NBPA last week agreed tentatively to start the league on December 22 and have a 72-game calendar. With 72 games, there will be ten fewer games than usual because of the coronavirus pandemic that interrupted sports and the NBA 2019/20 regular season on March 11.

However, in July, the NBA resumed within a bio-bubble environment near Orlando, Florida, as the Los Angeles Lakers eventually won the championship on October 11.

The season was four months longer than usual. The salary cap and Luxury-tax remain unchanged from $109.1m and $132.7m, respectively.

Free agents would be allowed to start negotiating with teams on November 20, two days after the NBA draft occurs. They would be able to sign contracts from November 22.

Meanwhile, it wasn’t stated if fans will be allowed into games or not, neither was there an announcement on the return of fans into NBA arenas.

The quickened restart to the league could force some players to miss out on the start of the new season due to the short time between the end of the championship playoffs last season and the new season’s start.

LA Lakers’ Danny Green had warned last month that team-mate LeBron James may not play in the first month.

Written by: Daniel Ademiju Idowu