Report: 22-team regular season with 8th-seed play-in among return proposals
NBA commissioner Adam Silver and the league's board of governors discussed Friday a proposal to determine final playoff spots by having teams within six games of a postseason berth partake in regular-season games followed by a play-in tournament, ESPN's Ramona Shelburne reports.
Under this format, the Washington Wizards, Portland Trail Blazers, New Orleans Pelicans, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, and Phoenix Suns would join the 16 current playoff teams in finishing the season.
The 22 teams involved would play eight games apiece before a play-in tournament to determine the eighth seed in each conference, sources told The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor.
But only three of the league's 30 governors are in favor of returning under a 22-team format, according to a board survey viewed by ESPN's Tim Bontemps. The group's preference is to resume play with only the 16 current playoff teams.
The NBA - which suspended its season March 11 - is reportedly targeting July 31 for a return to play.