The NBA is looking at the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) as it tries to figure out the best way to restart the 2019-20 season said ESPN reporter Brian Windhorst in an online interview with Tencent Sports' Bao Renjun.

The CBA on June 4 announced that the 2019-20 CBA season will resume from June 20 in two quarantined locations (Qingdao and Dongguan). Less than 24 hours later, the NBA announced a similar restart plan that has games played in Orlando starting on July 31. In fact, Windhorst once wrote in March that the NBA was watching every move of its Chinese counterpart on season resumption.

"What's happening with the CBA is so interesting because the NBA was really watching the CBA closely … I think the NBA really wanted to see how the CBA's bubble works … the CBA is starting a few weeks earlier … I think the NBA will definitely be seeking out people who are working in the cities of Dongguan and Qingdao to find out how they (teams) are able to follow the rules … I think they will learn from each other, I really do," said Windhorst.

The NBA has been suspended before, but never for pandemic, and that's led to a series of new questions. For example, if a player has to leave the Walt Disney World Resort for injury or other reasons, is he allowed to come back? Should he be quarantined when he comes back? For how long?

Windhorst also pointed out that the season restart will raise mental challenges for champion candidates like the Los Angeles Lakers. According to the plan, if a team makes the Finals, they will stay in the resort for almost three months. "At the end of Summer League, which is 10 days, or maybe 14 if you practice there early, everybody is ready to go home. The last few days of Summer League are the worst," said Windhorst.

By contrast, this is, again, three months we are talking about. The longer their schedule becomes, the more players will have to overcome.