The recent spike of coronavirus cases in Florida is understandably casting a shadow on the NBA's plan to resume the season in a bubble in Orlando. In fact, sources said that it is no less than league commissioner Adam Silver himself who has raised concerns pertaining to the threat of the virus in the bubble's proximity.
This report comes from Baxter Holmes and Zach Lowe of ESPN:
In at least one recent call with high-level team executives, NBA commissioner Adam Silver has acknowledged the spiking numbers in Florida. Multiple team sources described the general tone of that call, including the questions asked of Silver on it, as tense.
Silver is obviously worried about how this recent development will affect the health and safety of everyone involved in the bubble — as he should be. Then again, the ESPN report went on to say that the commissioner remains confident about the league's plan to resume the 2019-20 campaign
Another called Silver's tone “resolute but somber.” He expressed a resolve to go on — a confidence in the NBA's bubble concept — while recognizing the seriousness of the coronavirus spike, sources said.
Adam Silver understands the risk involved here. He is not being single-minded in pushing for the NBA restart despite the potential consequences. Rather, he is staying faithful to an extensive, medically-backed study that has laid out the best way to resume the season.
At the end of the day, it's not all about the entertainment brought by the NBA. The league's decision to push through with the season is geared more towards the need of the people involved — the players, the teams' staff, the employees — to keep earning a living, especially in these hard times.
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