It’s official! NBA is coming back Dec. 22 with 72-game season

The National Basketball Association will be back on Dec. 22!

On Tuesday, the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association agreed to play a 72-game schedule, which will be revealed in the coming weeks.

Teams will be able to negotiate with free agents beginning at 6 p.m. ET on Nov. 20, and at 12:01 p.m. ET on Nov. 22, teams will be able to sign them.

Training camps will begin Dec. 1, the league said in a press release.

One thing that will remain the same is the salary cap and tax level. Last season, the cap was $109.14 million, with the tax level at $132,627,000.

This season, teams will not be playing in a bubble, so health and safety protocols will need to be worked out as teams will be traveling from city to city.

Last season ended on Oct. 10, so the Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat will only have rested seven weeks before they start training camp on Dec. 1.

Now that news of games are returning, the Oklahoma City Thunder announced that seating capacity will be reduced for home games at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

“Health and safety measures for game and event nights will also include six-foot seating distance between groups of guests, required face masks, established contactless, self-service ticket scanning and concession purchases, and mandated strict hygiene and disinfecting procedures throughout the building,” Thunder officials said.

There will also be reduced capacity within arena bars and restaurants, with tables set six feet apart.