LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 25: The official game ball rests on the court during the game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center on December 25, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.

Report: NBA to lift trade moratorium Monday

5 years ago

Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Getty Images Sport / Getty

A flurry of NBA roster activity could soon be on the way.

Teams have been informed that the moratorium on league business such as trades will be lifted Monday at noon ET, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports.

The moratorium has been in place since just after the 2019-20 season was halted due to the coronavirus pandemic last March.

Trade speculation is already circulating around the league and includes names such as Russell Westbrook, Victor Oladipo, and Jrue Holiday. Several rumors also persist around Wednesday night's draft.

The lifting of the moratorium also allows contract extensions to be signed. The NBA's highest-profile supermax candidate, Giannis Antetokounmpo, will have until the eve of the regular season, Dec. 21, to sign that deal with the Milwaukee Bucks or have it leave the table until next summer when he would become an unrestricted free agent.

With free agency set to commence Friday and the 2020-21 campaign tipping off Dec. 22, Wojnarowski reports that dates have been tentatively set for the coming season.

Tentative schedule
December 22: Opening night.
All-Star Break (minus an ASG): March 5-10
May 16: Regular season ends
May 17-to-21: Play-in tournament for 7-to-10 seeds.
May 22: First-round playoffs
June 7: Conference semifinals
June 22: Conference Finals
July 8-22: NBA Finals
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 15, 2020

The league's board of governors has yet to formally approve a four-team play-in tournament, according to Wojnarowski. A single Western Conference play-in matchup between the Portland Trail Blazers and Memphis Grizzlies was held last season in the Orlando bubble.

Next season's All-Star Weekend, previously scheduled for Indianapolis in February, has not yet been officially canceled. It is unlikely such an event could be held given the ongoing pandemic.

The NBA and players' association have also agreed that each side will have the right to terminate the existing collective bargaining agreement after this season and next, according to Wojnarowski.