The rule only applies during the playoffs. If your talking about the first week of the new season then you have to pay the wages.
That's my understanding as well although you could argue that it doesn't make sense because there are no competitive matches in that week.
I checked the news for this season:
In return, players have agreed to only take a salary during weeks when their teams play at least one competitive league game. Teams finishing in 5th and 8th place will pay no salaries during both weeks of the playoffs, and teams eliminated from the playoffs will pay no salaries in the second playoff week. Teams in a relegation series will only pay second week salaries if they end up playing a decisive game during the second week.
First it says "only take a salary during weeks when their teams play at least one competitive league game". That is NOT the case in the week I mentioned (i.e. you could think salaries won't get paid).
The second part however just refers to the playoff weeks (i.e. you can think that salaries do get paid).
So unless a BB says otherwise, I'll expect the finance update on the 24th April to be a "normal" one including player salaries.
We have both said a lot of things that you are going to regret.