The NBA is set to return July 30, and Adam Silver believes the restart plan put in place is the best option.
Teams will play eight regular-season games before a play-in game is held for the eighth seed, followed by the playoffs.
With a recent spike in coronavirus cases in Florida, there is concern that the bubble league will run into trouble.
But Silver believes the plan put forth and the measures in place are sufficient.
“We know that COVID-19 will be with us for the foreseeable future,” Silver said on a conference call Friday afternoon with several league officials. “And we are left with no choice but to learn to live with this virus.“
Several states across the South and the West have seen rates increase since restrictions were relaxed.
Florida reported nearly 9000 new cases Friday, the single highest one-day total for a state since April.
Sixteen of 302 NBA players tested positive for the virus as the league gets ready to start training camps again.
“No options are risk-free right now.” Silver said.
The NBA has essentially isolated players and staff from the outside world in Orlando.
There will be no one in and no one out unless an emergency situation arises.
Still, Silver understands there is no outrunning the virus.
“In terms of choosing this location, it’s a fair question — whether if we were making this decision at this moment, we would still choose Orlando, Florida,” Silver said. “… We’re still very comfortable being in Orlando.”
If a player tests positive during the season, the NBA will continue to play on.
Testing will be held every day and the infected player will be isolated.
It could very well make or break a team’s championship chances.