FILE –The 2019 NBA Draft prospects stand on stage with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver before the start of the 2019 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center on June 20, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Sarah Stier/Getty Images/AFP
The NBA moved up its draft lottery by five days next month, according to multiple reports Tuesday.
The lottery will now be held Aug. 20 instead of Aug. 25, per reports. The draft date has not moved, as it still will be held Oct. 16.
While the NBA season’s structure has been overhauled for its return from the coronavirus pandemic, the lottery will essentially be the same, apart from being delayed more than three months.
Eight teams were not included in the restart near Orlando, already putting them in the lottery. The six teams eliminated from the restart will also join the lottery, and odds will then be assigned based on teams’ records in games before the season was paused March 11.
The lottery was originally scheduled for May 19 before being postponed. Field Level Media