:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67739007/1278490171.0.jpg)
It’s weird to doom-scroll through the timeline these days and see NBA news pop up, but we just had some pretty important news drop via ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski regarding the start of the NBA season:
The NBPA is holding team calls today, sharing with players details of a proposed agreement with NBA that includes a Dec. 1 start to camps, three preseason games and discussions on a salary escrow for players in the range of 18 percent for the next two years, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 4, 2020
We had reports earlier today that the start date for the 2020-21 NBA season was down to December 22 or January 18, with the December date seeming “inevitable.” One of the key issues was the amount of escrow, with the NBPA offering 15 percent and the league proposing 25 percent; it would appear the 18 percent compromise was agreed upon by both parties. To clarify, that escrow money is withheld from players and given back later if the league meets revenue projections, something that is far more uncertain in a post-pandemic economic environment for the league.
18% escrow in 20-21 would withhold roughly $720M from the players. That does not include reduced pay based on less games played. A player like Steph Curry could see his $43M salary reduced to $31M (factoring escrow and less games played). https://t.co/I8UddRqeCx
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) November 4, 2020
Good work by the two sides to come together and come to an agreement. Believe it or not, we appear to be just over three weeks away from training camps beginning on December 1, and about six weeks away from the start of the season. The late-November free agency period is going to be crazy, but if any year has prepared us for a crazy period of time, it’s 2020.