When Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19, it shut down not only the NBA but the G League as well. It's remained that way ever since. The remainder of the 2019-20 G League season was canceled, and the start of the 2020-21 season had been delayed indefinitely. But now, after more than nine months on the sidelines, the G League has a plan in place to resume play.
The 2020-21 G League season will begin in February and will take place at Disney World inside the same bubble environment that the NBA used this summer, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania. Teams are expected to play 12-15 games in the regular season before beginning the playoffs.
Here's a look at the tentative timeline for the new G League season:
- Jan. 11: 2021 G League Draft
- Jan. 19: Players report to their home markets for physicals and pre-season process
- Jan. 26: Teams arrive at the bubble in Orlando
- Feb. 8: Opening night
- March 5-9: Playoffs
Not every team will be participating, however, due in large part to the fact that it will cost franchises $400,000-$500,000 to send their G League squad to the bubble. As such, 11 franchises have decided against sending a team to the bubble and will be opting out of the 2020-21 season. Here's a look at the teams that will and won't be playing:
Playing
- Agua Caliente -- Los Angeles Clippers
- Austin Spurs -- San Antonio Spurs
- Canton Charge -- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Delaware Blue Coats -- Philadelphia 76ers
- Erie BayHawks -- New Orleans Pelicans, Washington Wizards
- Fort Wayne Mad Ants -- Indiana Pacers
- Greensboro Swarm -- Charlotte Hornets
- Iowa Wolves -- Minnesota Timberwolves
- Lakeland Magic -- Orlando Magic
- Long Island Nets -- Brooklyn Nets
- Memphis Hustle -- Memphis Grizzlies
- Oklahoma City Blue -- Oklahoma City Thunder
- Raptors 905 -- Toronto Raptors
- Rio Grande Valley Vipers -- Houston Rockets
- Salt Lake City Stars -- Utah Jazz
- Santa Cruz Warriors -- Golden State Warriors
- Westchester Knicks -- New York Knicks
- Ignite -- G League Elite team (high-level prospects)
Not playing
- Capital City Go-Go -- Washington Wizards (will use BayHawks along with Pelicans)
- College Park Skyhawks -- Atlanta Hawks
- Grand Rapids Drive -- Detroit Pistons
- Maine Red Claws -- Boston Celtics
- Northern Arizona Suns -- Phoenix Suns
- Sioux Falls Skyforce -- Miami Heat
- South Bay Lakers -- Los Angeles Lakers
- Stockton Kings -- Sacramento Kings
- Texas Legends -- Dallas Mavericks
- Windy City Bulls -- Chicago Bulls
- Wisconsin Herd -- Milwaukee Bucks
Obviously, it's expensive, prohibitively so for some franchises apparently, but this is a smart move by the league. The bubble environment at Disney already exists, and we saw this summer that it works. It's not a long-term solution, but for a few months, it's a viable way to keep everyone safe and play basketball -- something G League players haven't been able to do for going on a year.
