All the information has been given, the players have been educated, and the protocols are set in place.
That doesn’t mean Bulls coach Billy Donovan wasn’t nervous about what could take place over the next week.
With the Bulls playing their last game before the All-Star Break – it officially begins after the Thursday games are played – there are no restrictions keeping players in town. That means an entire roster scattering around the country, hopefully being smart about their decisions socially.
“I think there’s been a lot of education from the league to the players,’’ Donovan said on Wednesday. “I think there’s been a lot of education from medical to the players. Obviously with the All-Star Break coming and us not being able to keep everybody in market, there’s some rules. You know, if you’re within 45 miles of an NBA city you have to get tested there. Obviously if you’re not there’s kits you take home with you. But it’s the same thing, it’s the social distancing, it’s trying to stay away from crowds. Obviously a lot of these guys are going to want to visit family members. But yeah, you just try and educate the guys the best you can.’’
The Bulls were hit by the coronavirus earlier in the season, but as a group it was more bad luck than carelessness.
Garrett Temple said he got hit with it at a family gathering, then Chandler Hutchison and Tomas Satoransky were with several other players having dinner at a league-designated restaurant in Washington D.C., and still tested positive afterward.
The front office and coaching staff have been very diligent in making sure the players understand the importance of doing things the right way in this pandemic, and Donovan’s hope was that mentality is carried home with them.
“You can have something and some guys can come back and be positive,’’ Donovan said. “And they could obviously have a week-to-10 days of being out, and then have to ramp back up in trying to find their conditioning. So we have to do a good job there, and hopefully we can be conscientious, and I think everybody in the league has tried to be conscientious, but sometimes this thing spreads so quickly, sometimes it’s hard. But yeah, hopefully our guys will heed the words of the medical people and the experts, and what they’ve been guided to do and directed to do.’’
It’s not just the players, either. Donovan and the coaching staff are also allowed to leave market, so that’s even more moving parts in play.
“We’ll meet and talk and get back a little bit earlier before the guys get back,’’ Donovan said of the staff. “The hard part, to be honest with you, is this is really a different situation than most All-Star Breaks. And what I mean by that is the testing is going to get ramped up even higher. We’re not even allowed to get with our guys until later in the afternoon [next Tuesday]. And really, to be honest with you, on the ninth it’s totally voluntary on their part. And they don’t want the team gathering at all. And then on the 10th, which is the day before a back-to-back, we’re probably not going to be able to get on the floor to practice until late afternoon.’’
The Bulls open the second half hosting Philadelphia on Mar. 11.
Health club
Luke Kornet missed the game in New Orleans for personal reasons, but all eyes will be on Lauri Markkanen (right shoulder sprain) and Otto Porter Jr. (back) over the next week.
Donovan’s hope is that both will at least be practicing when the second half resumes.