The framework of an NBA in-season tournament is taking shape and could be implemented as soon as the 2023-24 season, sources with knowledge of the discussion told The Athletic on Friday.
Current framework of NBA In Season Tournament as soon as 2023-24, per sources:
– Cup games through November
– 8 teams advance to single-elimination Final in December; other 22 continue with regular season
– All games are part of normal 82-game schedule; one extra for two Final teams— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 9, 2022
The tournament games would run through November, and eight teams would advance to a single-elimination round in December. The other 22 teams in the league would continue with regular-season play.
All of the games would be part
The NBA and NBPA are still working to finalize the in-season tournament concept, which includes to-be-determined prizes for the eight teams that advance to the single-elimination round, sources said.
The in-season tournament was discussed on a Competition Committee call in September 2021 with the potential of $1 million per player in prize money.
In February, Adam Silver pointed to the success of the league’s Play-In Tournament and said, “Related to that, to me, in terms of trying new things, then does it make sense to look at some other concepts we’ve talked about , like an in-season tournament.”
Silver added that “in some ways, the players have been more receptive to the possibility of an in-season tournament, because the Play-In has been a bit more successful.”
In other league news, the NBA’s 2023-24 salary cap is projected to be $134 million — $10.4 million higher than this season — with a $162 million tax level, according to sources. Both are $1 million higher than previous projections.
(Photo: Ron Chenoy / USA Today)
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