NBA reportedly finalizing plan for non-bubble teams to practice, scrimmage in August

According to a report in the Charlotte Observer, the Cavs and the seven other NBA teams not in the Orlando bubble could soon have a plan in place for the teams to play.

Per the report, the plan has not been approved by the player’s association yet. The proposal includes:

• A week of practice at teams’ home facilities, starting in the second week of August
• Up to two weeks of group workouts hosted by two teams not in the restart.

The host cities for group workouts has not yet been determined, per the report. All scrimmages would likely need NBA.

NBPA head Michelle Roberts expressed trepidation about a second bubble a few weeks bacak.

“I know there are some players, particularly young players, that seem concerned they’re not getting enough offseason activity,” Roberts said during call with members of the media. “But I am concerned ... in terms of play that doesn’t have the same guarantee of safety and health that we’ve provided in Orlando.

On the Cavs side, general manager Koby Altman has been among those pushing behind the scenes for the non-bubble teams to get some kind of play. Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said in June that he felt it was necessary for the Cavs to reconvene in some capacity before next season. Cleveland and the other bubble teams, of course, had their season’s halted due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Notably, this is a much more scaled down version of the full-on second bubble that had been pitched. Per the report, an announcement could come next week.