2020 NBA Draft set for Nov. 18

Update: On Wednesday morning, the NBA announced the decision to move the draft to Nov. 18, though the release that it is “subject to change as circumstances warrant.”

The Atlanta Hawks have a potentially monumental offseason ahead, with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft and more salary cap space than any team in the league. However, rumblings emerged on Aug. 20 that the NBA and NBPA may need a bit of additional time to hammer out the specifics of the 2020-21 salary cap, leading to a potential delay of both the draft and free agency.

From there, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported on Sept. 8 that the NBA and the NBPA came to an agreement on a delay of the key offseason dates, without a specified target for rescheduling. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN then put forth a potential date of Nov. 18 for the NBA Draft, with the caveat that further discussions were needed to solidify the schedule.

Finally, the Nov. 18 date came into focus on Tuesday evening, with Wojnarowski reporting that the league has “locked in” the rescheduled date.

At this stage, the NBA has not announced the change, nor is there any firm indication of the timeline for free agency, which will presumably follow the draft. Still, this is the most definitive word available on when the draft will happen, with many in Atlanta keeping a close eye on the calendar.

On Sept. 21, the Hawks will begin what the NBA and NBPA describe as “voluntary group workouts at their team facilities while residing in a campus-like environment under controlled conditions.” That period of organized team activity will feel like an oasis in the desert after an extended hiatus but, in the same breath, the start date for the 2020-21 season remains up in the air, leaving even more emphasis on the offseason calendar to fill the void.

Stay tuned.