The 2016–17 NBA season will be the 71st season of the National Basketball Association. The regular season will begin on October 25, 2016. The 2017 NBA All-Star Game will be played at a venue to be announced on February 19, 2017; the original host of the game, Charlotte's Time Warner Cable Arena, was removed as the host on July 21, 2016 due to the league's opposition against North Carolina's Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act.[1] The regular season will end on April 12, 2017, and the playoffs will begin on April 15, 2017 and will end with the last game of the NBA Finals.
On July 11, 2016, Tim Duncan officially announced his retirement after playing 19 seasons, winning five NBA championships with the San Antonio Spurs.[2]
Free agency
Free agency negotiations began on Friday, July 1, 2016. Players can sign starting on July 7, after the July moratorium ends.
On April 14, 2016, Sam Mitchell was relieved of his interim head coaching duties as the coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves after the last game of the season, allowing them to look for a full-time coach.[3]
On April 19, 2016, Earl Watson would remove the interim coach tag he had last season and would be the coach of the Phoenix Suns for the next three years.[10][11]
On April 20, 2016, the Timberwolves agreed to sign Tom Thibodeau to be their head coach and president of basketball operations. He was previously an assistant coach for the team from 1989 to 1991.[12][13]
On April 25, 2016, the Lakers did not exercise their option on Scott's contract for the following season, deciding to pursue a new coach. His 38-126 (.232) record with the team was the worst of any of the 16 coaches that had led the franchise for at least two seasons.[14][15]
On April 29, 2016, the Los Angeles Lakers hired Warriors Assistant Coach Luke Walton to become their new head coach. Walton led the Warriors to a 39–4 start in the 2015-16 season when Steve Kerr was sidelined.[17]
On May 5, 2016, despite making the playoffs, Pacers' president Larry Bird announced that Frank Vogel's contract would not be renewed, citing a need for "a new voice" to lead the players.[18][19]
The preseason will begin on October 4, 2016 and will end on October 21, 2016.
Regular season
The regular season will begin on Tuesday, October 25, 2016. Christmas Day games will be played on Sunday, December 25, 2016. The regular season will end on Wednesday, April 12, 2017. The schedule will be released in August 2016.
Media related to 2016–17 NBA season at Wikimedia Commons
