For Matthew Dellavedova, the 2020 offseason has been looming large for quite some time.
In the final season of a four-year, $38 million (USD) contract, the Cleveland Cavaliers guard was set for unrestricted free agency just as the Australian Boomers veteran would have been ready to launch one last assault on Olympic glory in Tokyo.
The coronavirus pandemic has ensured both events remain swirling in uncertainty, with the most pressing immediate concern being where he, his wife Anna and six-month old son, Anders are going to live.
"It is a unique time being a free agent for next season and the timeline being pushed back for where we are going to live next year and what city we are going to be in," Dellavedova said during a Collective[i] Forecast zoom conference call on Friday morning.
"I'm just taking it day by day and enjoying this time with my wife and six-month-old, it's incredible to see how much he is growing and changing every day so I'm definitely not taking that for granted."
"We still have our apartment in Cleveland, but we are currently in an Airbnb in California which we've got for the month and we have to figure out what we are going to do."
The temporary move to California has allowed the family to find warmer weather, while also providing Dellavedova with a better environment to stay prepared for the eventual return of basketball.
"We were living in an apartment in downtown Cleveland and I didn't have access to a hoop. I tried to see if they could get an outdoor one put at the [Cavaliers] facility, but I think that was against the league rules at the time, so we made our way to California."
Known for his ultra-competitive nature, Dellavedova has found ways to keep the competitive juices flowing at home, with Anna's purchase of a peloton bike proving to be a valuable inclusion to the home gym.
"She convinced me to do one of the classes and I really got my butt kicked. I had the ranking board there, I'm a pretty competitive person and I think I finished 1,500-2,000 out of 30,000-40,000 people and I was pretty disheartened. I was disappointed in myself so the next time I cracked the top 250 but I almost passed out," he said with a laugh.
With the Cavaliers all but eliminated from playoff contention in the Eastern Conference, it's possible Dellavedova has played his last game in a Cavs jersey.
Averaging a career-low 14.4 minutes per game as the franchise turned to their young developing talent, the 29-year-old tallied 46 assists over his five games, reminding the NBA world he has plenty left in the tank ahead of free agency.
Fans or no fans, Dellavedova eagerly awaits his next opportunity to step foot on an NBA floor, arguing empty arena games could provide never before seen insight for the viewers at home.
"It's going to provide an interesting perspective for the fans because they are going to be able to hear what is being talked about on the floor, the communication on defence and what's happening on the offensive end."
"It will most likely be unfiltered so it will be like having the ten players and coaches all mic'd up. They are going to have to have someone pressing the bleep button, I think!"
It's too early to tell when NBA will return and where the Dellavedova family will land next, but for now, there remains one concrete goal in place. A long-awaited medal for the Boomers in Tokyo.
"We've been keeping in touch and that's one of the things that has helped keep me motivated."
"We want to go out on a good note with that group. With the Olympics being pushed back we have the commitment to each other to stay in great shape and make the most of what is the last opportunity together."