The coming "bubble"? As limited workouts resume at Nets' practice facility, NBA mulling season restart in Orlando
Basketball's coming back, right? Well, probably, but consider:
29, a statement from the Nets:
TNT knows more?
Yesterday, Yahoo Sports reported, Charles Barkley, citing TNT bosses, '100 percent sure' NBA season will resume. The quote: “I do know this, talking to my bosses at Turner."
If so, it wouldn't have been the first time that, after a disaster, the TNT tail wagged the NBA dog. Remember how the Nets' Brooklyn debut, against the rival New York Knicks, was said to be on in 2012 despite Superstorm Sandy? (Ultimately, it was postponed.)
The coming "bubble"
As noted by Yahoo, the NBA is talking with Disney about isolating teams at the 220-acre Wide World of Sports complex in Orlando, which has three arenas and lots of hotel rooms.
ESPN reported today that Michele Roberts, who heads the NBA players' association, said the "overwhelming" sentiment has been that "they really want to play."
That said, there probably are some players who, at least privately, are skeptical.
How would the "bubble" work? ESPN reported that there must be regular testing, though that comes with questions about false negatives and false positives. Meanwhile, young athletes may face lower risks, but some coaches and other personnel are older and thus in high-risk groups.
ESPN suggested that team entourages would shrink from up to 75 people (post-season expansion) to a lean total of 28. But many other workers, from referees to camera people to announcers, would be needed.
The total, including hotel workers, could exceed 1,000. That's a pretty broad bubble.
Or, as Tom Ziller argued today in Good Morning It's Basketball, Do not send the worst NBA teams into the bubble:
From NetsDaily, Following Cuomo announcement, Nets to begin workouts at HSS TuesdayI don’t think anyone can predict what’s going to happen from now on. So many vagaries: the format; health and conditioning of players; mental emotional burden spending months in the bubble; injuries; quarantines for those found infected. And the unknown.— NetsDaily (@NetsDaily) May 25, 2020
29, a statement from the Nets:
"Working in conjunction with state government officials and local health authorities, the Brooklyn Nets will open HSS Training Center for voluntary player workouts on Tuesday, May 26. The organization will strictly follow the protocols outlined by the NBA and infectious disease experts to ensure that all precautions are taken in order to maintain a safe and healthy environment for players and staff."But it won't exactly be a team workout: only four players can be in the building at any one time, plus an assistant coach, with only one player per basket. Moreover, some players aren't even in New York.
TNT knows more?
Yesterday, Yahoo Sports reported, Charles Barkley, citing TNT bosses, '100 percent sure' NBA season will resume. The quote: “I do know this, talking to my bosses at Turner."
If so, it wouldn't have been the first time that, after a disaster, the TNT tail wagged the NBA dog. Remember how the Nets' Brooklyn debut, against the rival New York Knicks, was said to be on in 2012 despite Superstorm Sandy? (Ultimately, it was postponed.)
The coming "bubble"
As noted by Yahoo, the NBA is talking with Disney about isolating teams at the 220-acre Wide World of Sports complex in Orlando, which has three arenas and lots of hotel rooms.
ESPN reported today that Michele Roberts, who heads the NBA players' association, said the "overwhelming" sentiment has been that "they really want to play."
That said, there probably are some players who, at least privately, are skeptical.
How would the "bubble" work? ESPN reported that there must be regular testing, though that comes with questions about false negatives and false positives. Meanwhile, young athletes may face lower risks, but some coaches and other personnel are older and thus in high-risk groups.
ESPN suggested that team entourages would shrink from up to 75 people (post-season expansion) to a lean total of 28. But many other workers, from referees to camera people to announcers, would be needed.
The total, including hotel workers, could exceed 1,000. That's a pretty broad bubble.
Or, as Tom Ziller argued today in Good Morning It's Basketball, Do not send the worst NBA teams into the bubble:
So it’s my opinion that only the top 24 teams remaining should be sent to Orlando. The other six teams should consider their seasons complete, and the standings for NBA draft lottery purposes should be held as they were frozen on March 11.That, at least, would lower the risks slightly.
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