Sacramento Kings prepares for isolation within the NBA bubble

While eager to resume an NBA season that has been nearly lost to the coronavirus pandemic, players are facing the reality of life in a bubble.

From the time they arrive next week to the elimination of their teams, players will be seized at the Walt Disney World Resort ESPN Wide World of Sports complex in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, not far from Orlando. Teams that fail to reach the playoffs will be there for a minimum of 35 days. Teams reaching the NBA finals will enjoy 97 socially distant days and nights at The Most Magical Place on Earth.

The guard of King Kent Bazemore said he will use FaceTime to keep in touch with his wife and their 14-month-old son, but saying goodbye was emotional and difficult when it was time to show up in Sacramento to resume training.

“It’s tough,” said Bazemore. “It is difficult to be a husband and father. I cried like a small child when I went out to go out here a couple of weeks ago – I only see him and my wife standing on the porch as I leave, and he has absolutely no idea that I left until I disappear.

“It is definitely difficult, especially because he is so young. As a child it is essential to have a stable base, and my wife is also pregnant with a girl who will come in September, so the realistic front is very hard. “

Corey Brewer, a 34-year-old journalist who recently signed up again with the Kings after spending the end of the 2018-19 season in Sacramento, had a similar experience when he separated from his two young children. Brewer was not on an NBA list before COVID-19 closed. This NBA odyssey gave him another opportunity in the league, but Brewer said he’ll miss his boys.

“This is probably the most difficult part for me,” said Brewer. “I have small children. They are 6 and 3 months old, so it was difficult to leave them, but they understand that I am getting older. Any chance that I can play basketball, I have to take it. They’re happy. My son is happy to be able to play again, and FaceTime every day for about five hours, so I’ll see you again. “

Brewer has agreed to join the Kings on this Disney adventure without knowing what his role will be.

“I’m always open to anything,” he said. “For me just to get the chance to play basketball, I love basketball. … Whatever they want me to go out there to do, I will. If they want me to get water, if they want me to play, whatever, let’s go. “

Bazemore, 31, who indicated on Friday that he would like to re-sign with the kings when he becomes a free agent at the end of the season, must also think about his future. Bazemore said he decided to participate in the reboot after some of his closest confidants reminded him that, in this line of work, looking after families sometimes means staying away from them.

“In your 20 and 30 years, you make many sacrifices … but I can really create my legacy and really help those behind me,” said Bazemore. “So it’s a difficult decision and it’s something that my wife and I are working diligently on, trying to stay in touch, you know, phone calls, videos, FaceTime, doing everything we can to stay in touch.”

The NBA will only allow 1,600 people into the bubble at any given time. Family members will not be admitted until after the first playoff round.

The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association have agreed that players who choose not to participate will not face league discipline, but will lose a proportionate portion of their salary. A number of players have given up on a variety of reasons, including family issues and health problems.

The list includes Avery Bradley (Los Angeles Lakers), whose son has a history of fighting respiratory diseases; Trevor Ariza (Portland Trail Blazers), who is committing to a one-month visit period with his son as part of a custody case; Davis Bertans (Washington Wizards), who wants to avoid an injury because he is set to become a highly coveted free agent in October; DeAndre Jordan (Brooklyn Nets), who tested positive for COVID-19; Wilson Chandler (Brooklyn Nets), who told ESPN “my family’s health and well-being must come first;” and Willie Cauley-Stein (Dallas Mavericks), who is expecting a baby in July.

Players are also people. They have lives. They have families. They have concerns.

Players were given a deadline of June 24th to make their decisions. Final lists and travel parties were due to be submitted earlier this week. Kings manager Luke Walton said none of his players have given up.

“I am very open to our players and made it clear that no judgment, no pressure, totally understandable if the players or staff decided to give up,” said Walton. “We are totally in support of these decisions and not a single player came to me with that concern, so from the best of my knowledge our kids are comfortable going. They are excited to go.”

Kings can end a 13-year playoff drought if they manage to overcome the Memphis Grizzlies for suit # 6. 8 of the Western Conference. They are eager for the opportunity ahead of them, although they are still not sure what to expect when they get there.

What will they do to spend time in solitary confinement when they don’t play basketball?

Marvin Bagley III said he plans to take recording equipment to make music. De’Aaron Fox said he plans to stay in his room, probably playing video games. Bazemore, who considers himself one of the best golfers in the NBA, pointed out that the NBA campus will have multiple golf courses.

However, no matter what services are made available to them, they know that the next few weeks will be a test of their mental strength with none of the comforts of home.

“Eventually it will boil down to survival of the fittest,” said Bazemore. “… It’s not about who is the best basketball player at this time of year. It’s just about who will be the toughest and last the longest. It’s about surviving the kids. There are many people who are sacrificing themselves to make this happen on both sides, coaches and players, so yes, we will miss all our families, but in the end we are all there to work. “