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NBA won't conduct random marijuana tests in 2020-21

The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association have agreed not to conduct randomized tests for marijuana during the 2020-21 season.

"Due to the unusual circumstances in conjunction with the pandemic, we have agreed with the NBPA to suspend random testing for marijuana for the 2020-21 season and focus our random testing program on performance-enhancing products and drugs of abuse," NBA spokesperson Mike Bass said in a statement.

The NBA enacted a similar policy during the league's bubble at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, this past summer, where the league had 22 of its 30 teams reconvene to play eight seeding games and a full playoffs, which eventually crowned the Los Angeles Lakers as champions.

Tuesday marked the beginning of training camp for teams around the league, although players can work out only individually for the first few days because of precautions being taken due to the coronavirus pandemic. Full-team practices are scheduled to begin Sunday, and the first preseason games will take place Dec. 11.

The NBA regular season, which will be 72 games -- down from the usual 82-game schedule -- will begin Dec. 22. The full schedule was unveiled on ESPN's The Jump on Friday afternoon.