NBA Doubles Down, Creates Second 'Bubble' For Non-Playoff Teams

In Friday's Hot Clicks: The NBA will try to pull off two bubbles in 2020 as the league's worst eight teams head to Chicago for an extended training camp.

The NBA presses its luck

If you thought one NBA bubble was a safety hazard, wait until you hear about the league's latest plans.

The NBA is planning to create a second quarantined site in Chicago, which will host the eight teams who will not play in Orlando, according to ESPN's Jackie MacMullan. Teams are expected to arrive in Chicago in September, then hold a training camp before games are played. It's unlikely those games–or more aptly, scrimmages–will count toward the 2019-20 standings.

Perhaps the NBA's second bubble idea is a smart measure for competitive balance purposes, but this feels like a major unnecessary health risk. The less teams that resume the season the better, especially for those who are already eliminated from the playoffs. The NBA may be pressing its luck a bit too far with this idea. 

FedEx puts the pressure on

Washington's team name has drawn no shortage of criticism in recent years, and team sponsor FedEx could be the catalyst in changing it.

The shopping company had officially requested the team's name be changed, joining Nike and PepsiCo, among other sponsors. All items featuring Washington's team name were also removed from Nike's online store on Thursday night. 

All "Washington Redskins" team merchandise has been removed from Nike's website 👀 https://t.co/IzG7XONx98 pic.twitter.com/7Bge8lGYTH

— The MMQB (@theMMQB) July 3, 2020

Perhaps owner Dan Snyder stays stubborn and keeps the team name, but the pressure from FedEx is notable regardless. Perhaps a new team name and new stadium is on the horizon in the 2020s.

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Email dan.gartland@si.com with any feedback or follow him on Twitter for approximately one half-decent baseball joke per week. Bookmark this page to see previous editions of Hot Clicks and find the newest edition every day. By popular request, he's made a Spotify playlist of the music featured here. Visit our Extra Mustard page throughout each day for more offbeat sports stories.