Shams: Most NBA GMs want season to resume advancing directly to playoffs

Fifty-three percent of NBA GMs want the 2019-20 NBA season to resume with teams advancing directly to the playoffs, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic...

Of course, 53 percent of teams would mean, well, 16 teams which, as you guessed, is the exact number of teams in the NBA playoffs.

That’s not to say that all 16 of those teams are in fact playoff teams. We don’t know. But, that’s interesting...

Should the season resume directly to the playoffs, the 7th-seeded Nets would take on the defending champion Raptors in the first round. However, should there be a re-seed to combine both conferences, the Nets would be the 15th seed and take on the Lakers in the first round.

Pick your poison.

Later, Shams laid out the four proposed formats...

The Athletic’s reporter also identified a possible date for return, Friday, July 31. That would be four months and 10 days since the league shut down on March 11.

Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne report owners are largely planning to pledge support for Silver’s final recommendation on a plan that would bring 20-to-22 teams to Orlando.

As for the idea of larger rosters, there’s been some discussion of permitting the two-way players to participate in the post-season. Chris Chiozza, who played well in the last five games before the shutdown, would under that proposal be eligible. Same with Jeremiah Martin, a 6’4” combo guard who played 16 minutes for the Nets but was one of the top guards in the G League.

The Nets have been pretty adamant that whatever happens Kevin Durant will not be back “this season.” So, take that into consideration. Whatever the case, the Nets won’t be in full force when play resumes.

Nets fans, what’s your preferred path forward?

• Sources: NBA board of governors expected to approve Adam Silver’s restart plan Thursday - Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne - ESPN