Chicago Bulls: CBA agreement sets timeline up to start of next season

There is now more clarity to the timeline of how the Chicago Bulls can see out the remainder of the 2020 offseason, including the draft and free agency.

The pieces are starting to fall into place as it pertains to the adjustments to get the 2020-21 regular season schedule set around the NBA. With a planned Dec. 22 start date to the 2020-21 regular season, the Chicago Bulls could be able to have their first meaningful game action played at the United Center since back in mid-March, when they took down the divisional foe Cleveland Cavaliers at home.

The specific pieces that are falling into alignment to get a timeline set for the rest of the 2020 offseason up to the point of tip off of the next regular season are founded by the CBA agreement earlier in the week. The news dropped coming out of the weekend that the foundation was in place for the league and its 30 teams to have a new CBA agreement set.

Having a new CBA agreement in place means that the timeline can be officially set for the remainder of the offseason and the beginning of next season. This offseason timeline is very crunched down, but at least there appears to be one in place now.

The new CBA looks to continue to have a set date for the night of the 2020 NBA Draft, on Nov. 18. Shortly thereafter, the next cycle of free agency negotiations is set to begin on the evening of Nov. 20. That separation of just 48 hours roughly between draft night and the beginning of free agency is one that we’ve never really seen before in the modern era of the NBA.

But that’s just one of the many adjustments taking place around the professional sports world in the midst of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Another significant date in place for the new CBA is Nov. 22, when players can officially sign contracts out of free agency with their new (or same) teams.

This all leads up to the anticipated start date of Dec. 22 for the 2020-21 regular season. And the 2020-21 season schedule still looks to feature 72 games.

The Bulls finished up the shortened 2019-20 regular season with a record of 22-43 under the direction of former head coach Jim Boylen. They’ve now hired the likes of executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley to lead the front office, and former Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Billy Donovan to lead the coaching staff.