The idea of bringing in the “Delete Eight” (the eight eliminated NBA teams that were not invited to take part in the season restart) into the Disney World bubble appears to be gaining steam. They will not be asked to officially take part in the season, of course, but they could potentially be entering the bubble to train.
This report comes via Sam Amick of The Athletic:
Sources say the NBA has been exploring that possibility for quite some time now, and that the idea was raised most recently on the aforementioned governors call. And in some ways, it makes perfect sense.
As NBPA executive director Michele Roberts has made clear all along, the union has been skeptical of any basketball setting that doesn’t match the Orlando approach in terms of precautions and protocol. But starting on Aug. 17, when six teams go home and the 16-team playoffs begin, space will be opening up inside this three-hotel, three-court, (seemingly) COVID-free community they have created.
One might argue that bringing these eight teams into the NBA bubble goes against the very principle of isolating the other 22 teams in the first place, with the objective of reducing the risk of the spread of the coronavirus within the bubble. Then again, if you look at the logistics, it does kind of make sense.
Despite their efforts, the other eight teams have not been able to come up with an alternative bubble of their own, primarily because of the aforementioned lack of precautions and protocols. This is exactly what the Disney World bubble offers, and with six teams heading home once the playoffs starts, the “Delete Eight” could take their place. More teams will be heading out of the bubble as the playoffs progress, thereby creating more “space” inside the bubble.
Nothing is set in stone at this point, however, and as it appears, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver still has his work cut out for him.
Follow Us
Subscribe