Rockets: How the NBA botched the Danuel House investigation

Abandoning an established precedent

House isn’t the first person to have alleged to violate the NBA’s bubble protocol, as LA Clippers guard Lou Williams also found himself at the center of a similarly embarrassing incident. Williams was granted permission to leave the bubble to attend the funeral of a loved one in Atlanta, and made a pit stop to popular strip club Magic City.

The former Houston Rockets guard contended that he was simply there for the chicken wings, which he’s publicly proclaimed his love for at the gentleman’s club. However, in the days that followed, one of the strippers stated that Williams left her a generous tip during his stop at the famed strip club, which eliminated any credence to the notion that Williams was simply “in and out” and there for the food, as he told NBA officials.

But Williams was given a 10-day quarantine and allowed to re-join the Clippers after serving his penalty, which set a precedent for handling such matters. However in House’s case, he wasn’t levied the same penalties, as he was ordered the leave the bubble for the remainder of the playoffs, and head back home to Houston.

Rockets fans have drawn criticism for pointing out that the league office handled House’s suspension in an unusual manner, but with all things considered, there are a myriad of unexplained circumstances that led up to the league’s announcement of House’s official punishment. There’s certainly more than what meets the eye, regardless of whether people want to face the facts or not.