Kings’ Buddy Hield plots escape from NBA bubble; plans to tunnel out ‘like El Chapo’
Kings guard Buddy Hield lost a little time with the team after testing positive for COVID-19, but he hasn’t lost his sense of humor.
In his first interview since joining the team in Orlando on Sunday, Hield joked he was already looking for a way to escape the NBA bubble.
“I’ve been trying to find a way to get out,” Hield said. “I’m going to do something like El Chapo, build a tunnel under the hotel so I can sneak my ass out of here.”
Hield participated in practice for the first time Tuesday since arriving at Walt Disney World Resort. He was required to quarantine in his room at the Yacht Club Resort until he tested negative for COVID-19 twice over a span of more than 24 hours.
Harrison Barnes and Alex Len are still away from the team after testing positive for COVID-19, but forward Jabari Parker joined Hield in returning to practice Tuesday after recovering from the virus.
“We had them back,” Kings coach Luke Walton said. “We held them out of all contact today, which we did just a limited amount of at the very end, but it was great having those guys back. Good energy with them. They’re excited to be on the court and around the guys again.”
Hield might be able to lighten the mood around a Kings team that has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. Four players have tested positive for COVID-19 and Richaun Holmes, the team’s starting center, is under extended quarantine orders after breaking protocols designed to ensure health and safety inside the NBA bubble.
Holmes under COVID-19 quarantine
Walton will welcome the levity, but he will remind Hield that tunneling out of the bubble like Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman tunneled out of jail would be foolhardy given what happened to Holmes earlier this week. Holmes was sent back to his room and placed under mandatory 10-day quarantine after he left the bubble to pick up a food delivery.
Walton said the team was able to send exercise equipment and film study to Holmes’ room and he will have Zoom meetings with strength coach Craig Slaunwhite, but otherwise Holmes will remain completely isolated until the middle of next week.
“That’s all we can really do as far as keeping him ready to play basketball,” Walton said. “Then there’s the human side of things, which is this guy’s going to be by himself for 10 days. It’s up to us as players, coaches and teammates to make sure we’re reaching out to him and making sure, mentally, he’s staying in a good place.”
Walton said he has spoken to Holmes about breaking protocol, but he said it can be difficult to discern where the bubble begins and ends.
“The borders are a little everywhere,” Walton said. “I almost walked out the first day I was here. The borders are a little challenging, but our guys know we need to stay in.”
Coronavirus concerns for Kings
Barnes revealed Tuesday he tested positive for COVID-19 last week, becoming the fourth Kings player to contract the virus. Barnes remained in Sacramento along with Len, who still hasn’t cleared COVID-19 protocols three weeks after testing positive for the virus.
“Those guys are big parts of what we do,” Walton said. “… The approach we take as a group is big picture. We try to play everything out. We have to prepare as if we’re not going to have either one of those guys, and that’s just getting ready for what worst-case scenario would be, and there’s a reality that might (happen). So our mindset is we’re not going to have them with us, and we’re hopeful that they rejoin us.”
Barnes said he has been “primarily asymptomatic” and hopes to join the team whenever possible.
Hield said he briefly experienced mild symptoms after being diagnosed with COVID-19.
“I wasn’t scared or nothing like that,” Hield said. “I tested positive and I was just concerned for the people around me like my daughter and my girl and my family. I didn’t want nobody getting infected by it. I didn’t want my carelessness causing someone to lose their life or something like that.”
Kings upcoming schedule
July 31 vs. Spurs, 5 p.m. (NBCS)
Aug. 2 vs. Magic, 3 p.m. (NBCS, NBA TV)
Aug. 4 vs. Mavericks, 11:30 a.m. (NBCS)
Aug. 6 vs. Pelicans, 10:30 a.m. (NBCS, NBA TV)
Aug. 7 vs. Nets, 2 p.m. (NBCS)
Aug. 9 vs. Rockets, 5 p.m. (NBCS)
Aug. 11 vs. Pelicans, 6 p.m. (NBCS, TNT)
Aug. 13 vs. Lakers, TBD (NBCS)
This story was originally published July 15, 2020 at 4:00 AM.
