The NBA is still working to find an outlet for the eight teams not included in the Florida campus reboot to have the opportunity to play in a league approved environment.
According to Athletic’s Sam Amick, an option that was raised in a call Wednesday with the board of governors suggested bringing the eight teams to Orlando’s Walt Disney World Resort after the eliminated clubs left campus.
When the NBA developed the campus concept to finish this season, 22 of the league’s 30 teams were invited to participate based on their record at the time of the game’s suspension on March 11.
The eight teams on the bench – Atlanta Hawks, Golden State Warriors, Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Charlotte Hornets, Detroit Pistons, Cleveland Cavaliers – were hoping for a site of their own to avoid a potential nine-month layoff from competition depending on when the 2020-21 season starts.
ESPN’s Jackie MacMullan reported on July 2 that the NBA was in “deep discussions” about creating a second bubble in Chicago for those eight clubs to have a mini-camp and play.
Another option the NBA took down, according to the New York Post’s Marc Berman, would have those teams hold mandatory organized team activities in their facilities.
According to the current NBA program, the seeding games will end on August 13th, with a potential play-in tournament for seed no. 8 in both conferences which will take place from 15 to 16 August.
By the end of those games, the NBA campus field will have been reduced from 22 teams to 16. Eight more teams will be on their way home when the second round of the postseason begins on August 31.