Report: NBA Tells Board of Governors 2020-21 Season Won't Start Before Christmas

The 2020-21 NBA season reportedly won't start until at least Christmas Day.

Per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, the NBA league office told the Board of Governors during a conference call Thursday next season "won’t begin earlier" than Dec. 25. 

Charania added the discussed Nov. 18 date for the 2020 NBA draft also remains "fluid." 

When the Board of Governors approved a return-to-play plan in June, commissioner Adam Silver outlined several key dates being targeted for offseason activities and the start of next season. 

The draft was being targeted for Oct. 15, with the regular season "likely" to begin on Dec. 1. 

Prior to the draft lottery on Aug. 20, Silver told ESPN's Rachel Nichols (h/t ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst) that Dec. 1 was "feeling a little bit early to me" to start next season. 

"I think our No. 1 goal is to get fans back in our arenas. ... So my sense is, in working with the players association, if we could push back even a little longer and increase the likelihood of having fans in arenas, that's what we would be targeting," he said. 

Per Henry Abbott of True Hoop, Michele Roberts, executive director of the National Basketball Players Association, told players during an August meeting that next season could begin anywhere between late January-early March. 

One potential concern about starting in March is running up against the Tokyo Olympics, which are currently scheduled to run from July 23 through Aug. 8. 

The 2020 postseason could run through Oct. 13 if the NBA Finals goes seven games.