The National Basketball Association, also known as the NBA, is full of excitement every offseason. Trades, free agency, the next big star coming out of the draft. This year, the roster moves were more fun and exciting than ever before, but most of the headlines came from the NBA commissioner’s office.

COVID-19 has created obstacles in every aspect of our life, sports included. The NBA has taken all the necessary strides to combat the issues surrounding the pandemic. 

Last season, fans got a new experience when the league formed a “bubble” in Orlando, Florida, and played there with no fans. This year may not have the bubble, but there have been changes put in place. According to NBA.com, the season will start on Tuesday, December, 22. The most impactful change is a 72-game season for every team, instead of a normal 82-game slate. The safety protocols include, but are not limited to: daily testing of all staff and players, no immediate shutdown if one case, and a limited number of people when traveling. COVID-19 has shaken and completely changed not only the league but the NBA experience as a whole.

Every year, free agents and trades give the NBA a new outlook and usually change some teams around. This season, some of the biggest names in the league hit the free-agent market. According to CBS Sports, Danilo Gallinari left the Oklahoma City Thunder and joined the Atlanta Hawks, Gordon Hayward chose to take his talents to the Charlotte Hornets, Brandon Ingram signed back with the New Orleans Pelicans, Tristan Thompson joined the Boston Celtics and Fred VanVleet stayed loyal and returned to the Toronto Raptors. CBS Sports also reported that many trades took place. Al Horford was traded to the OKC Thunder and Danny Green was sent to the Philadelphia 76ers in return. The Washington Wizards traded John Wall to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Russell Westbrook. Chris Paul was dealt with the Phoenix Suns and they gave the OKC Thunder multiple players and future draft picks.

Every team wants to win a championship, and the draft is where it starts. This is where every team can potentially pick a future star for their team. The most notable picks were: Anthony Edwards as the number one pick to the Minnesota Timberwolves, James Wiseman as the number two pick to the Golden State Warriors, and LaMelo Ball as the number three pick to the Charlotte Hornets.

Each year, the NBA gets a new landscape with roster moves. Trades and free agents rock the league. As the pandemic rages on, rule changes took the court this year. In the chaotic world that is sports, which NBA team will come out on top? To find more information, go to NBA.com or watch ESPN for all the news surrounding the league.