Some NBA teams want to create home-court advantage artificially in the Disney World playoffs with ideas like giving higher seeds first dibs on hotels, but it might not happen
- The NBA plans to return on July 31, with 22 teams back in action to play eight regular-season games each before the start of the playoffs.
- With all games taking place in Orlando, Florida, without fans in attendance, the traditional idea of home-court advantage will be absent this year.
- According to ESPN's Dave McMenamin, some in the league have floated a few out-of-the-box ideas to recreate the feel of home-court advantage, from allowing an extra foul to one player on the higher-ranked team to having seeding tied to hotel selection.
- McMenamin conceded that the ideas would likely never be put into action, as they wouldn't get the votes necessary to pass.
- NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski agreed that the league would not implement the new rules, saying of teams with home-court advantage, "Maybe they'll get to decide what color they wear."
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The NBA has set its target date to return to play.
This week, the league approved a format that would return 22 teams to action to play out eight final regular-season games before moving on to the playoffs, with all games taking place Disney's ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida.
Should all go according to plan, basketball will be back beginning on July 31, with a potential Game 7 of the NBA Finals played on October 12.
For basketball fans — at least fans of the 22 teams that qualified to continue their season — the news brings an end of the unknown. While there are still details to be worked out, and concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic forcing the league to pause once again despite whatever precautions the league may take, barring any setbacks, basketball will be back at the end of the July.
When basketball does come back, it will look different than the sport we know. With all games played out of Orlando with minimal staff in attendance, the passionate crowds that make up the biggest and best NBA markets will be gone. For teams that fought all season to stay atop the conference standings and ensure home-court advantage in the postseason, the reality of playing out the 2020 season at a neutral site might be especially disappointing.
But according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin, the league is considering some pretty far-out options to create a "home-court advantage" artificially. McMenamin writes that no plan has been formally proposed, and should any be proposed, it would be unlikely to pass. However, teams that would have had home-court have considered what possible steps could be made to replicate their earned advantage through the playoffs.
Per McMenamin:
Some of the scenarios discussed, sources told ESPN, include:
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The higher-seeded team being awarded the first possession of the second, third, and fourth quarters, following the traditional jump ball to begin the game.
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The higher-seeded team being allowed to designate one player to be able to be whistled for seven fouls instead of six before fouling out.
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The higher-seeded team receiving an extra coach's challenge.
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The higher-seeded teams being able to transport their actual hardwood home court from their arenas to Orlando to try to preserve the feel of their home playing experience.
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An off-court feature in which playoff teams, in order of seeding 1-16, receive first choice on picking which hotel they will stay at in the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and Disney World Resort. ESPN is owned by the Walt Disney Co.
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Again, McMenamin stressed that such a drastic change would be unlikely to be introduced and approved. A two-thirds board of governors vote in addition to an agreement from the players' union — would need to agree before making changes.
ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski shared McMenamin's doubts that such advantages would make their way to the 2020 postseason. "I think they'll get to wear their white jerseys," Wojnarowski told "The Dan Patrick Show" on Thursday, when asked what advantages the nominal "home" teams could get on a neutral site. "Maybe they'll get to decide what color they wear."
"I do not believe there is any appetite anywhere in the NBA outside of perhaps the Lakers and the Bucks, the two top seeds in each conference, to give those teams an advantage," Wojnarowski said. "I think they'll go to Orlando. They'll compete like everybody else. Maybe there'll be a better parking spot for their player at the Grand Floridian, but other than that, they're going to have to win straight up."
It makes sense that the NBA would hesitate from adding additional wrinkles to a postseason that has already been pushed months past its original date due to forces beyond the control of the league. That said, the prospect of two top seeds duking it out for rights to the best resort in Disney in the final game of the regular season a joy to imagine.
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