The NBA's Board of Governors have voted to approve the league's 22-team return-to-play plan in Orlando.

The vote was 29-to-1 with the Portland Trail Blazers the lone nay vote.

“The Board’s approval of the restart format is a necessary step toward resuming the NBA season,” said Adam Silver.  “While the COVID-19 pandemic presents formidable challenges, we are hopeful of finishing the season in a safe and responsible manner based on strict protocols now being finalized with public health officials and medical experts.  We also recognize that as we prepare to resume play, our society is reeling from recent tragedies of racial violence and injustice, and we will continue to work closely with our teams and players to use our collective resources and influence to address these issues in very real and concrete ways.”

The season restart would begin with eight “seeding games” for each returning team and include the possibility of a play-in tournament for the eighth and final playoff seed in each conference depending on combined records across regular-season games and seeding games.  Once the 16-team playoff field is set, the NBA Playoffs would proceed in a traditional conference-based format with four rounds and best-of-seven series in each round. 

The NBA has issued the following scheduled dates:

- Training camp: June 30, July 7 travel to Orlando

- 2019-20 season: July 31

- Free agency: Oct. 18

- 2020-21 targets: Nov. 10 training camp, Dec. 1 opening night (can remain fluid)