Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Trapped on vacation
Heat land choice Disney lodging, but nothing Mickey Mouse about NBA medical planning
So what did the 41-24 record prior to the NBA’s March 11 shutdown get the Miami Heat? Prime real estate, in a Mickey Mouse sense.
With the emergence of the league’s 33-page brochure for a return to play came the revelation that by standing a mere half-game ahead of the Oklahoma City Thunder the Heat wound up as the last team in the top hotel tier for lodging at Disney World.
That has the Heat one of eight teams scheduled to stay at the Gran Destino Tower at Coronado Springs when the league reports in advance of the resumption of play at the Wide World of Sports complex. There, the Heat will share quarters with the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, Toronto Raptors, Los Angeles Clippers, Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets and Utah Jazz.
With teams during the initial phase of the NBA’s restart limited to interacting only with those in their designated hotel through July 21, as a means of reducing possible transmission of COVID-19, it puts that Heat on the same grounds as prized future free agent Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks forward that Heat President Pat Riley is believed to be maneuvering for in the 2021 offseason.
In addition, by being in a pod with those other seven teams, it means the Heat’s three scrimmages prior to the resumption of play will come in late July against teams from that eight-team group.
The teams with the eight next-best records have been
assigned to the Grand Floridian on Disney grounds, with those in the play-in field assigned to Disney’s Yacht Club.
The move to Disney amid the coronavirus pandemic comes with significant uncertainly.
In an accompanying 113-page medical brochure also distributed to players and others that are part of the planned restart, a section reads, “The occurrence of a small or otherwise expected number of COVID-19 cases will not require a decision to suspend or cancel the resumption of the 2019-20 season.”
“Isolation housing” has been established for those who test positive, with further negative testing allowing for a resumption of competition, after two weeks of inactivity, which is roughly the length of an entire playoff round.
Through it all, the league attempted to put the best possible face on the repackaging of the close of the season.
Foremost, the league reiterated that returning remains a matter of choice, with the only repercussion being loss of pay for games bypassed, unless players could show to be among an at-risk group or have an injury that precludes playing. Those players will receive full salary.
Players opting out face a June 24 deadline.
There will be regular testing within the “bubble” type of setting, with significant limitations on interactions beyond game competition.
The Heat already are assured a playoff berth, which would leave them sequestered from their expected July 9 arrival until late August, at the earliest. Should the Heat advance to the second round of playoffs, family members would be allowed to enter the NBA campus, following a quarantine period, with one additional room per player then allocated for family.
In pitching the plan, the NBA pointed to planned amenities, including barbers, DJs, movie screenings, players lounges, bowling, yoga, meditation and a variety of outdoor activities, including boating and fishing — but no doubles Ping-Pong due to social-distancing concerns, no headsets for video games, and decks of cards to be discarded after the completion of such activity.
But the reality of the moment also has a decided imprint on the actual competition, including a “behavior modification” plan, which notes players should avoid wiping the ball with jerseys, going to their mouths or even touching their mouthguards. Heat center Kelly Olynyk, for example, typically licks his fingers after a missed shot, while Heat forward Jimmy Butler removes his mouthpiece while shooting free throws, tucking it in a sock.
Face masks are required except during competition and practices, with distancing monitors to be offered to players interested, required of others. All involved within the “bubble” must wear a band that allows for room entry, security-checkpoint clearance and medical testing.
Medical facilities and mental-health counseling also will be set up on site, with the ability to leave and return to the campus limited to off-site medical care, birth of a child, severe illness, death in family or family wedding. Such departures would requite between four to 10 days of quarantine upon re-entry.
The league will not test for previously recreational substances, such as marijuana, and will allow outside packages, including food prepared off-site by personal chefs.
Teams are limited to up to 17 players and 35 total members from the organization inside the “bubble” at the outset, with players allowed to bring personal security, trainers or therapists, provided they are included in that total of 35. Support personnel can be swapped out or augmented during each playoff round.
Staff members that violate the NBA guidelines can be removed from the campus without warning to their teams and without replacement.
Owners and executives, as well as media residing outside the “bubble” will be allowed to view games and practices from a distance.