Roberts said she does not see how other leagues can play games outside of a bubble conceptNBAE/GETTY IMAGES
NBPA Exec Dir Michele Roberts is "pleased by how players have adapted" to the relative isolation of the bubble, and overall, she is "happy with what the league has put together" in Orlando, according to Chris Mannix of SI.com. Roberts: "I'm sure some teams have internal issues. But the guys I've seen genuinely seem to like each other." Mannix noted the NBA bubble is "holding," given the "weekly announcements of zero positive tests." But on scheduling for next season, Roberts "has issues," since the NBA Finals "could stretch as long as mid-October." She said, "We'll probably not start until early 2021." On other leagues not utilizing a bubble, Roberts said, "Right now I don't see how sports can be played outside of a bubble concept ... Having said that, do I think our guys are going to be in a bubble for six or seven months? Hell no. It's not going to happen. I think what we're going to have to do is figure out creatively how we can have bubble-like the environments that allow us to play." Roberts "has had 'healthy conversations' with players about next season." Roberts: "Not only has this matched the expectations of what I thought might be the best we could do, it's exceeded them. And it's because this is the formula. And I'm only hoping that we can keep this damn virus from making us all regret it" (SI.com, 8/11).
