The NBA reveals Disney hotel assignments for teams
Several weeks ago, the NBA announced that it will resume the rest of the 2019-2020 season at the Walt Disney Resort in Orlando, Florida starting on July 31. With this return to action, numerous questions arose around how the NBA plans to conduct this “bubble” league. One issue in particular focused on how playoff teams with the better records would be given an advantage without the ability to have home court.
Well, on Tuesday the NBA (sorta) answered that as they announced each team will be assigned to a certain hotel depending on their seeding.
Sources: NBA teams Disney hotels based on seeding:
-Grand Destino: Bucks, Lakers, Raptors, Clippers, Celtics, Nuggets, Jazz, Heat
-Grand Floridian: Thunder, 76ers, Rockets, Pacers, Mavericks, Nets, Grizzlies, Magic
-Yacht Club: Blazers, Kings, Pelicans, Spurs, Suns, Wizards— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 16, 2020
The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that the league would allot three hotels to the 22 teams playing in Orlando and would tier those hotel assignments based on team record.
In Tier one, we have the Bucks, Lakers, Raptors, Clippers, Celtics, Nuggets, Jazz, and Heat who will be staying in the Gran Destino Tower at the Coronado Springs Resort. The Gran Destino Tower is the newest hotel of the three as it opened in 2019 and has a Spanish, southwestern theme while offering luxury amenities like a club-level lounge.
In Tier two, we find the Sixers, followed by the Thunder, Rockets, Pacers, Mavericks, Nets, Grizzlies, and Magic. These teams will be staying in the Grand Floridan Resort, a five-star hotel which Disney describes as “Victorian elegance meets modern sophistication.” The Grand Floridan is regarded as a flagship resort for Disney and presents some of the nicest accommodations in the state.
And in Tier three, we have the Blazers, Kings, Pelicans, Spurs, Suns, and Wizards. These teams will be staying at Disney’s Yacht Club, a four-star Martha’s Vineyard themed hotel which provides a “nautical touch and sophisticated amenities.”
Now, this hotel isn’t bad by any means. It’s just that out of the three options the NBA has given, this one clearly comes in third. It’s pretty funny that the NBA would place these teams in different rated hotels based on their record, but hey, that’s one way to answer the no “home advantage” problem. One tricky part about this resort however is that it is attached to Disney’s Beach Club, one of the many properties that Disney plans to reopen on June 22. It’ll be interesting to see how the league maintains this “bubble” with that going on at the hotel as well.
So, what will the players be doing when they’re not playing games? Well, Shams has that covered too. Per reports, players will have access to pretty much every hotel amenity possible, including a players-only lounge, movie nights, and the ability to attend other NBA games at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.
In NBA's ORL campus:
– Hotel amenities: players-only lounge (NBA 2K, TVs, gaming), pool/trails, barbers, manicurists, pedicurists
– 24-hour VIP concierge
– Daily entertainment: Movie screenings, DJ sets, video games, ping pong, pool, lawn games
– Players can attend other games— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 16, 2020
Other announcements the NBA made on Tuesday include:
- Teams are limited to a 35-person traveling party which includes the athletic trainer; strength/conditioning coaches; equipment manager; team security official. Each team can include a player’s private personal trainer, massage therapist, or security.
- Per NBA health and safety protocols for return: All players, team staff and guests will be required to certify in writing that they will adhere to all pre-arrival rules and league rules while on campus.
- Failure to comply with protocols subjects a player to potential discipline such as a warning, fine, suspension, and/or removal from the campus.
- The NBA will implement an anonymous hotline to report potential violations of the health and safety protocols.
- If a player is to test positive for the coronavirus, that player will enter immediate isolation and be separated from the team and other players. While in quarantine, that player will receive treatment and will continue to test for the virus. In order to return to basketball activities, that player must have consecutive negative tests.
- If a player is to leave the Disney resorts (without prior approval), that player will be subjected to a 10-14 day self-quarantine, reduction in compensation for games missed, and enhanced coronavirus testing.
- NBA players have until June 24 to notify their team if they choose not to play in the resumed 2019-2020 season. Players have been told: “Any player who exercises this right will not be disciplined”
As far as finishing out a season in total isolation, which could be as long as three months for some teams, the NBA is going above and beyond for its players and is taking great measures to ensure the health and safety for everyone involved.
