NBA Rumors: Houston's in the Mix as a Potential Bubble City

Over the last couple of months, the NBA has been looking into a 'bubble city.' As the coronavirus doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon, it makes sense for the league to keep every NBA team in one or two cities playing on the same neutral court in order to avoid the spread of COVID-19.

At first, Las Vegas seemed to be the most logical landing spot because of the resources and the familiarity the NBA has there. Then, Disney World's ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando popped up as a potential destination as well. For the last few weeks, it seemed those two cities could host East and West teams, but the city of Houston is reportedly in the mix, according to a report from The Ringer. 

"Disney World in Orlando and MGM Grand in Las Vegas are the most likely possibilities," writes Kevin O'Connor. "Other locations are also under consideration, including Houston, multiple sources say. In downtown Houston, Toyota Center, the Rockets' home arena, neighbors the George R. Brown Convention Center; combined, they have the facilities necessary to serve as a neutral site to host games."

In addition to Vegas, Orlando, and Houston, the NBA hasn't ruled out teams playing in their own arenas just yet either. As governors in Texas, California, and New York plan to permit sports leagues to have games without fans in attendance, the NBA has left the door open for the possibility of teams hosting games in their respective cities once again, per O'Connor. However, the chances of doing that seem slim at this point.

Based on information gathered from the last few weeks or so, it seems the NBA is likely headed towards a situation where two cities host each conference where players stay until their season concludes. It might not be ideal, but it seems to be the safest and most logical scenario to return to action this year.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_