When the NBA resumes action next month, at least one network will not be on site. Speaking to SiriusXM’s NBA Radio last week, TNT’s Kevin Harlan said he expects to be in Atlanta while games are happening in Orlando.
“What I’ve heard from the folks at TNT is we will be in the studios in Atlanta and they will set up as close to possible a broadcast table like we would have courtside,” Harlan told hosts Tom Byrne and Amin Elhassan.
Harlan is confident most fans won’t be able to notice a difference. He noted that there won’t be the familiar home court designs of the Lakers, Celtics, and Raptors to look at, but that the simulated crowd noise and remoter broadcasters wouldn’t cause a distraction.
As for what might change the broadcast set up, Harlan did note that he has heard he could be in Orlando when the playoffs roll around.
“The one thing I have heard is that not until the conference finals would there be any consideration for broadcasters being in this setting,” he said. “That might be the first time that an actual broadcaster might be on-site, doing a conference final, and of course, the NBA Finals.”
Players are expected to report to camps in their home markets on June 21 with testing to begin the next day. Teams will arrive in Orlando on July 7 with games starting at Walt Disney World’s Wide World of Sports complex on July 31. The season is scheduled to conclude by October 12, which is when a Game 7 would be played if necessary in the NBA Finals.