Houston Rockets guard Austin Rivers has left the NBA bubble due to an urgent family emergency, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. Rivers is hoping to return sometime this weekend.

Players that return to the Orlando bubble must quarantine for between four and 10 days. Their isolation process can be as short as four days if the player produces negative COVID-19 tests for at least seven days prior to his return from an excused absence. Any unauthorized departure from the bubble (violation) could render a player unable to return for up to two weeks.

The Rockets are scheduled for their first inter-squad scrimmage on Friday and are hopeful to have Russell Westbrook on the floor after the star point guard arrived after being cleared of the coronavirus.

The team has also been working with James Harden in the last few weeks after his late arrival in Orlando. Losing Rivers, however, is a major hole poke in Houston's bench, considering his firepower.

Houston has experienced plenty of ups-and-downs early in the restart of the season, as they've had Westbrook, Harden, and Luc Mbah a Moute arrive late into camp. Big man Bruno Caboclo was also forced to extend his quarantine after becoming the first NBA player to violate the NBA's health and safety protocol.

Rivers put up 8.5 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in his first full season with the Rockets after being acquired from the Washington Wizards mid-season.