Top-Seeded NBA Teams Reportedly Mulling Alternative Advantages to Home Court

Signs point toward the NBA resuming its currently suspended 2019-20 season at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida, on July 31, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The league is moving toward playing in one hub city to decrease travel amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but that in turn means teams in position to earn home-court advantage in the playoffs will now lose that edge on a neutral court.

With that in mind, ESPN's Dave McMenamin reported that higher-seeded teams are considering methods of obtaining some sort of advantage over lower-seeded teams to recoup some of the lost edge.

They include the higher-seeded team being given the first possession of the second, third and fourth quarters and having the opportunity to allow one player on their team to commit up to seven fouls as opposed to the current maximum of six.

Other ideas consist of obtaining an extra coach's challenge, transporting their home court's hardwood floors to Orlando and allowing teams to choose which Disney World hotel to stay at in order of seeding.

Another concept included higher-seeded teams picking their first-round opponents.

"I do think the NBA cares about it," an Eastern Conference executive told McMenamin regarding higher-seeded teams obtaining some sort of advantage in Orlando. "I do not think it's a top priority for them."

Per Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne, the NBA is leaning toward inviting 22 teams to Orlando: the 16 currently in playoff position and the six within six games of the top eight in the Eastern or Western Conferences.

A play-in tournament likely would determine the final playoff seeds after a series of regular-season games. A postseason would then ensue, with the NBA Finals ending no later than October 12. Fans would not attend games.

The ideas posited are quite radical, although it is odd that the only team that will have any semblance of home-court advantage will be the 30-35 Orlando Magic, who won't have to travel far for these matchups.

Still, the NBA has far greater concerns to worry about as it attempts to restart a season that has been suspended for nearly three months, such as COVID-19 testing, a schedule format and logistics surrounding getting all players and personnel safely situated in Orlando.