Report: NBA's 'Loosest' Deadline for Completing Finals Is Labor Day Weekend

As the NBA continues to wait and evaluate options for the 2019-20 season amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the league reportedly has an idea about the latest possible date to complete the NBA Finals.

Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Labor Day weekend is considered the "loosest drop-dead date" for finishing the season, "which teams say necessitates games starting back up by July 1—and practice facilities reopening weeks before that. 

Wojnarowski noted the NBA doesn't want to be tied to the Labor Day deadline because no one in the league "wants to limit the possibility of the NBA salvaging something of a season."

In a March 18 interview with ESPN's Rachel Nichols (h/t ESPN.com's Tim Bontemps), NBA commissioner Adam Silver couldn't offer specifics about what the schedule might look like if the league resumes play, but wasn't ready to entertain canceling this season:

"I'm optimistic by nature, and I want to believe that we're going to be able to salvage at least some portions of this season. I would say we have done new and creative things in the past. We experimented with this year's All-Star Game with a unique ending. We've talked about play-in tournaments for going into the playoffs. There may be other things we can do with the format."

When the NBA suspended its season on March 12, most teams had between 15-18 games left to complete a full 82-game schedule. 

A potential NBA Finals tied to Labor Day would have the 2019-20 season extended until Sept. 7 if games are able to resume.