Impending free agents may have to wait even longer than initially expected to hit the open market.
The National Basketball Players Association is preparing players for the possibility that the 2020 free-agency period, tentatively scheduled to begin Oct. 18, could be pushed back several weeks, reports ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Talks of a potential delay are apparently due to uncertainty over the league's financials. Front-office executives have privately expressed concerns about the lack of 2020-21 salary-cap and luxury-tax projections ahead of this year's draft, per Wojnarowski.
Free agency traditionally begins at the end of June, though it was delayed this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. If it's pushed back again, some teams have expressed interest in also delaying the 2020 draft, Wojnarowski notes. The draft was originally set for June 25 but has since been rescheduled for Oct. 16.
The defending champion Toronto Raptors boast a few of the top names set to become unrestricted free agents, including point guard Fred VanVleet and big men Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka. Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis is also likely to decline his player option in order to land a new max contract, though he's reportedly expected to re-sign in L.A.
