Minnesota Timberwolves: A glimmer of hope for a second bubble

There’s renewed hope that the Minnesota Timberwolves could be part of a second bubble.

After weeks of “will-theys” and “won’t-theys” regarding the NBA’s creation of a second bubble, we now … have another “will they?” situation. But at least it includes the Minnesota Timberwolves.

It was just earlier this week that The Athletic reported that the NBA was shying away from the idea of a second bubble that would include the eight teams that are not in Orlando for the league’s official re-start.

But now, Sam Amick, who was part of the initial report, is passing along information from a league conference call on Wednesday (subscription required) that states that there is indeed another plan in the works.

Minnesota Timberwolves: A glimmer of hope for a second bubble

First, there was the Wolves raising their hand to potentially host a secondary bubble in the Twin Cities. Then, there was steam behind a bubble being held in Chicago, with only Golden State reportedly making noise about not wanting to be included.

This week, the NBA was apparently rethinking the logistics of a second bubble that would clearly be nowhere near as lucrative (read: it would lose money) as the existing, 22-team bubble.

Now, the bubble idea is back on, although it would look much different than any of the above proposals. Then again, it will look similar — nay, identical — too what is currently occurring in the NBA.

According to Amick of The Athletic, this second bubble would actually mirror the first one in every way. In fact, it would literally be the same bubble, taking place in Orlando, in the same hotels and on the same courts as the 22 teams vying for playoff spots.

Within a week, the eight teams that miss the playoffs will leave the bubble. Only about two weeks after that, another eight teams will depart Walt Disney World after the first round of the playoffs ends.

That means there will be plenty of hotel rooms and court time available, and the league could insert eight new teams. The logistics are all up in the air, of course, but the protocols are already in place, and this seems to be a slam-dunk idea for the league.

Now, no money will be made by the league; scrimmages between the Hawks and Pistons happening concurrently with a Western Conference Finals showdown between the Lakers and Clippers won’t exactly be compelling, but at least the franchises left in the cold by the current arrangement will be able to get their teams on the floor, in something of a training camp-like environment.

Expect any potential solution hammered out related to the bottom-eight to happen relatively quickly, as teams will need to plan travel, practice plans, etc., and the league will need to figure out scheduling in the event that these teams are allowed to scrimmage one another.

All things considered, this would be of huge benefit to the Wolves, for all the reasons we’ve already stated here at DWW. In short, the Wolves have a young roster, and some of their best players have only played in 14 games or less.

Here’s hoping that the league hashes this out and we’ll all get to enjoy some Minnesota Timberwolves (scrimmage) basketball sometime early this fall.