It seems the NBA may follow the NFL’s trend of packing two powerhouse events into one day. According to Jeff Zillgett of USA Today Sports, the NBA is very interested” in moving the back the draft to after July 1 and combining it with a season-ending awards show possibly on consecutive nights.
The league would like to create more space between the end of the Finals and the draft so it can better promote the draft. The person requested anonymity because negotiations remain before both become official.
The report says it would be difficult to pull off, because of its impact on free agency and the collective bargaining agreement. The league would also need to negotiate a change in the draft date with its TV partners.