The National Basketball Players Association is planning to hold a vote on Thursday night or Friday morning regarding the Dec. 22 start format to the 2020-21 season amid the coronavirus pandemic, sources told The Athletic.
The NBPA, led by executive director Michele Roberts, started formal conference calls with players from all 30 teams this week. Players have been holding calls with the NBPA beginning Monday and will go through Thursday morning. Players coming out of several meetings believe a Dec. 22 start is inevitable, sources said.
For the NBA and the players union, the two major issues in discussions so far have revolved around the start date — Dec. 22 or around Martin Luther King Day, Jan. 18 — and the player payments withholding/escrow amount.
The NBPA has told players on calls, as The Athletic has reported, that the financial ramifications of a December start loom large due to the television networks and league partners wanting a…
