The NBA will provide eight weeks notice ahead of when it plans to start the 20-21 season.
If the current hope is to start on January 18th, which is Martin Luther King Day, the NBA would have to commit to this date by November 23rd.
The NBA's goal for the 20-21 season is to maximize the potential number of games played safely in front of paying customers in arenas.
An 82-game regular season schedule normally takes 177 days to complete compared to 170 two years ago. The league could have each team play approximately four games per week and complete the regular season in approximately 155 days. The NBA wants to accomplish this while reducing travel and reducing potential COVID-19 infection exposure.