Damian Lillard doubts players will follow NBA's bubble rules, questions league's 'best interests'

Joe Rivera

Damian Lillard doubts players will follow NBA's bubble rules, questions league's 'best interests' image

Damian Lillard thinks the NBA's bubble may be popped.

With the NBA planning its Orlando restart in a "bubble" scenario with members of 22 teams being housed and isolated within the Disney World resort in Florida, many questions have been raised as to the plan's overall safety and the strict ruleset that the league has imposed on its players.

In asking a question of his own, the Trail Blazers guard cast doubt upon whether NBA players will be able to stay within the lines of the NBA's restart guidelines.

"My confidence ain't great," Lillard told ESPN. "My confidence ain't great because you're telling me you're gonna have 22 teams full of players following all the rules? When we have 100 percent freedom, everybody don't follow all the rules. I don't have much confidence. But hopefully it'll be handled to a point where we're not putting everybody at risk or in a dangerous position."

MORE: Complete list of NBA players opting out of the season

Lillard detailed that while he and the rest of the NBA will have different forms of activities and entertainment, there are still some questions as to whether the Association had the players' "best interests" in mind.

"We'll see if it was really well thought out and if they really had our best interests once we get there."

Before the restart of the season, there was reported discourse between multiple angles among the players, with the safety of players and the potential that an NBA restart would take away from current protests and civil unrest around the country, with sports offering a distraction.

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith also questioned if players will be able to handle the upcoming season without … extra-curricular activities. 

In any case, if one of the NBA's most public-facing stars is questioning the stability of the bubble, maybe the league should listen.

Joe Rivera