Is it possible that the Atlanta Hawks return to play this season at Disney World?
Maybe it’s the optimist in me speaking, but it’s sounding more and more likely that the NBA will be returning in some form or another this season. The big question seems to be where and when – not if – teams (including the Atlanta Hawks?) will resume play.
The most recent reports name Disney World in Orlando, Florida as the likely landing point, with teams staying at the campus during play.
The NBA has Orlando/Disney World as a clear frontrunner for return-to-play site for resuming 2019-20 season, sources tell me and @sam_amick. Orlando has gained significant seriousness among other cites such as Las Vegas.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 20, 2020
It has yet to be determined (or even reported on) how the league would wrap up their season, leading to much speculation. Will the season go on fully as previously planned? Will it just be the playoffs? Will it be a shorter, tournament-style playoff bracket?
The natural (and most likely) conclusion is that only teams who were in the playoff picture when play halted will head to Orlando, leaving the 20-47 Atlanta Hawks out. Some have called this unfair to certain teams just a few games out of the playoffs, like the Portland Trail Blazers, New Orleans Pelicans and Sacramento Kings, who all had 16-or-so games left to secure a playoff seed.
Because of that and a few other factors, the door is open for teams far from the playoffs resuming play as well, with the league potentially fully completing their 82-game schedule that was put on hiatus in mid-March.
A source from Disney told Keith Smith that they were “confident” in hosting the league at some point, but also adding, “it may not be the entire league…”
Sources from Walt Disney World tell me: "We are confident we'll be hosting the NBA in some fashion. It may not be the entire league, but we believe the NBA will be here to at least finish part of their season. Still hurdles to cross, but we are preparing as if that is the case."
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) May 20, 2020
While things are still being worked out and nothing official will happen for likely a few more weeks, it’s still interesting that the door for the Hawks return is open, even if it is only ever so slightly open.
The Hawks had 15 games left on their schedule, and for what it’s worth, weren’t officially eliminated from playoff contention just yet, sitting nine games back of the 8th-seeded Orlando Magic. Stranger things have happened, and they would be playing in the “most magical place on earth.
(You never know).
Will the Atlanta Hawks return to play this season?