Media

Jared Dudley weighs in on when he thinks 2020-21 NBA season will start

Published by
Ryan Ward

The Los Angeles Lakers are only a few weeks removed from winning the franchise’s 17th NBA title, and it appears the team won’t have much time to recoup and get back to work on the basketball floor.

The rumored start date is Dec. 22, and that has gained a lot of momentum lately, with the league ready to approve that date. Lakers forward Jared Dudley recently admitted that he believes that starting the season before Christmas Day will happen.

“We’ll most likely be on the 22nd,” Dudley said. “For the Lakers, it’s a quick turnaround, but a good thing.

“Everyone besides me and LeBron [James] are young, relatively young. A.D. (Anthony Davis) and [Kyle] Kuzma and guys. Hopefully, we’re there ring night. Obviously, Christmas, Lakers and how big our fan base is they want to see the Lakers at that time, but it is something we are really going to have to watch the whole team’s bodies and injury prevention.

“It’s a marathon and we’ve got to be smart about that early on especially.”

The proposed Dec. 22 start date for the 2020-21 NBA season hasn’t been very popular with players like LeBron James. The Lakers superstar joked that he’d be cherry-picking during games for the first half of the season if it started in December.

Obviously, James was joking, but it remains to be seen how players and teams will react when or if this early start date is approved.

Ryan Ward

Ryan is a veteran sportswriter who has covered the NBA and NFL for nearly a decade. Along with numerous exclusive interviews with professional athletes, Ryan has been credentialed by the Los Angeles Lakers since 2011. Follow him on Twitter @RyanWardLA.

Published by
Ryan Ward

Recent Posts

Shaquille O’Neal guarantees Lakers will make changes if they lose to Nuggets

The Los Angeles Lakers have already fallen behind 0-2 in their playoff series against the…

April 24, 2024

‘Don’t give up on us’: D’Angelo Russell makes huge promise to Lakers fans

Los Angeles Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell took to Discord following the team's loss to the…

April 23, 2024

Anthony Davis claims he won’t ever win DPOY: ‘The league doesn’t like me’

Anthony Davis seems to have begrudgingly come to terms with the idea that he will…

April 22, 2024

Dwight Howard implies Lakers should give him another chance after Game 1 loss to Nuggets: ‘I’m still in shape’

The Los Angeles Lakers have lost nine straight games to the Denver Nuggets, including Game…

April 21, 2024

NBA exec makes feelings on Lakers-Nuggets matchup crystal clear: ‘Bad for the Lakers!’

One NBA executive is of the belief that the Los Angeles Lakers match up poorly…

April 20, 2024

Lakers list 6 players on injury report ahead of Game 1 vs. Nuggets

LeBron James (left ankle peroneal tendinopathy) and Anthony Davis (low back soreness) are listed as…

April 19, 2024