NEW YORK • The National Basketball Association (NBA) has settled upon key dates for the upcoming resumption of its coronavirus-halted season, including an October NBA Finals and NBA draft, according to multiple reports on Saturday.

ESPN and The Athletic said a league memo to clubs set Aug 25 for the NBA draft lottery, Oct 16 for the next NBA draft and Oct 18 for the start of free agency, although no signings can start until Oct 23.

A potential seventh game of the best-of-seven NBA Finals would be played on Oct 13.

However, the dates will not become official until the NBA and its players union reach a deal on changes to the collective bargaining agreement related to returning from the March shutdown due to the pandemic.

Players seeking an early entry into the draft would have to declare by Aug 17 and would then have until Oct 6 to drop out if they wish.

The NBA is planning for a July 30 restart in a "bubble" contained within the Disney World resort in Orlando, Florida.

While the transaction window lasts until June 30, players have until Wednesday to notify clubs they will compete in the restart.

The memo also outlined how teams can replace players not in the "bubble" for health issues, excused absences or who choose not to go.

From July 1 until the mid-August finish of "seeding" games, substitute players can be signed for players missing due to each of those categories. Should a player test positive for the Covid-19 disease after seeding games, they can be replaced only by someone with three years or less in the NBA.

Any player refusing to play in the Orlando games would lose about 1.1 per cent of his salary for each missed game to a limit of 14 games, or about 15 per cent of his contract.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE