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Boomer and Gio: Sean Marks and the Nets hopeful about the Orlando bubble
(3:20)
The NBA’s priority since the end of the season in March has been to find a way for its best teams to return to the field so that a champion can be crowned. They’ve done it with their planned Disney bubble, but that left the question of what to do about the worst teams in the league. Putting them through a nine-month low season seemed unfair from a competitive point of view, and if possible, allowing them to play additional games could help them recoup some of the lost revenue from the end of their seasons.
So, for the sake of solving those problems, the NBA is proposing the creation of a second bubble in Chicago, where the eight teams that aren’t making the trip to Disney would hold mini training camps and games for an undefined competitive purpose, according to Jackie. ESPN’s MacMullan. However, nothing is imminent, and several reporters, including NBC Sports’ KC Johnson and The Athletic’s Sam Amick, have suggested that there is still a lot of work to be done to convince NBPA CEO Michele Roberts to endorse the idea.
The NBA is currently targeting September to kick off this second potential bubble, according to MacMullan, and Wintrust Arena, which is connected to a hotel, is being considered a venue, according to Johnson. Several teams, including the Minnesota Timberwolves, have expressed interest in hosting.
Interest in a second bubble among teams has been mixed. While the Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks would like to play, according to Amick, the New York Knicks have reservations because of their significant number of upcoming free agents. Also, it seems unlikely that the Golden State Warriors risk the health of their best players, as they hope to return to play next season.
If a second bubble materializes, it could be important to the continued development of younger teams. Lottery teams need every replay of the game they can get, and taking nine months off could have been a major stumbling block to their long-term plans. Now, at least, they can have a chance to get their players on the court before next season.
