NBA and Players Association are working on new draft eligibility rules / News - Basketnews.com

The NBA and NBPA are expected to agree on moving the age eligibility for the NBA Draft from 19 years old to 18. The reduced age limit for high school-to-NBA jumps would go into effect as early as the 2024 NBA Draft.

Credit: AP-Scanpix Credit AP-Scanpix

With a Dec. 15 mutual opt-out date looming for the NBA and the Players Association under their current collective bargaining agreement, both sides are in serious conversations over key points that will make up the league's new CBA.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reports that the NBA and NBPA are working on new draft eligibility rules.

The league and NBPA are expected to agree on moving the age eligibility for the NBA Draft from 19 years old to 18, clearing the way for the return of high school players who want to make the leap to the NBA, per the report.

The NBA set the draft age limit at 19 years old in 2005. Silver said in July that he was "hopeful" for the rule changing in the next CBA cycle.

"I think there's an opportunity [to change the limit]," Silver told reporters back in July. "It's [based on] larger conversations than just whether we go from 19 to 18, but I'm on record: When I balance all of these various considerations, I think that would be the right thing to do and I am hopeful that that's a change we make in this next collective bargaining cycle, which will happen in the next couple years."

Now, players have to spend at least a year out of high school before entering the NBA draft. That's resulted in athletes opting to play professionally overseas or in the G League instead.

According to Shams Charania, the reduced age limit for high school-to-NBA jumps would go into effect as early as the 2024 NBA Draft.

The NBA and NBPA are also cooperating on new mental health designation on the injury report. It would be an unprecedented and progressive change for American pro sports.

The NBA and NBPA are discussing measures to allow players to cite mental health issues as an ailment similar to physical injury, the report states.

Similar to when players treat external injuries, this new addition would give players the ability to treat their mental health concerns with the same gravity, allowing for things such as the seeking of second opinions and psychiatrist visits.

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