The NBA is one vote away from starting the upcoming season on Dec. 22 ... with owners and players reportedly set to approve the proposed 72-game plan on Thursday.
The decision to start the season before Christmas Day will save the league between $500 million and $1 BILLION, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
The NBPA will meet to officially agree on the quick turnaround -- remember, the Los Angeles Lakers just won the 2020 championship on Oct. 12 after the league initially delayed the season due to COVID-19. back in March.
As of right now, the 2020 NBA Draft is set to go down Nov. 18 ... with training camps opening up Dec. 1.
There are still decisions to be made on financial losses for player salaries ... but long story short, the league is expecting tip-off to happen next month.