The NBA has so many possibilities to resume their season and now you can add a group stage to the mix.
Kevin O’Connor of the Ringer explains:
“The 16 current playoff teams would qualify for the group stage, plus the four teams with the next-best records (Trail Blazers, Pelicans, Kings, and Spurs). The remaining 10 teams would be done for the season. The survey sent to each general manager noted that ‘tiers’ would first be created using the regular-season standings to ensure competitive balance between the groups.”
The move would allow the NBA to bring in extra revenue, thanks to the additional teams participating.
It would also incentivize the teams sitting just outside the playoffs to play their way into contention.
But it appears the NBA could also propose a tier list, which would involve highly ranked teams like the Lakers and Bucks choosing who is in their pool.
As is becoming clearer by the day, the question has shifted from if the NBA will return to how and when it will return.
The pool system is just one of many possibilities.