Now that the Los Angeles Lakers have advanced to the second round of the NBA playoffs they are set to enjoy a new addition in Orlando.
The league is allowing family members and significant others who have cleared quarantine protocols to enter the Walt Disney World bubble, which means numerous players will be reunited with their families.
This has been something many players from all teams have spoken about as being extremely difficult. Being away from their wives, girlfriend and children has been an adjustment for players as family members can often help get through the pressures that the playoffs can bring.
“I have my fiancee coming in,” Danny Green said. “I think that’ll make things a lot easier for everybody, if they have their wives, girlfriends, some of their family, their kids even though it’s not exactly kid-friendly, but just to have them around, they’ll be excited.”
What is available for children inside the bubble is a concern as the options are somewhat limited. Markieff Morris is worried with the same thing as his family is set to enter Orlando. “I have a little girl who is going to be three soon, and you can barely do anything here so I don’t want to keep them in a bubble when they can basically go in the real world and do stuff,” he said.
But regardless, Morris is still happy to have his family with him. “Obviously for me, I have a family that’s excited to come. They won’t be able to do much, but I’ll be able to see them and spend some time with them,” the veteran added.
The Lakers are a veteran team with many of the players having wives and children that they’ve been separated from. Being reunited with them can surely be a positive to the team as a whole. “I know our guys are going to be really happy,” head coach Frank Vogel said.
“I think that will lift everyone’s spirits. That’s a big deal for those guys to be able to have them coming in. I think that’s definitely going to be a positive influence.”
Now the Lakers and the rest of the league will have something to make this bubble feel more like home. And Kyle Kuzma hopes that’s something the league considers in the future as well with the end of this pandemic still unknown.
“I think that’s an important piece to making bubbles work for now and the future, is having a way for us to see our families,” he said. “That’s probably the toughest thing. Obviously, having our families around will release tension around here — not saying [the Lakers] have tension — but as a league-wide stance. I think it will be great for us.”
Alex Caruso points to strong Lakers bond in helping mental struggles inside NBA bubble
The bubble has been a struggle for many players around the league. While the players are appreciative of what the league has done in order to finish out the season, the life inside the bubble has been far from the norm for many players.
“A lot of people think when they hear the word ‘bubble’ and NBA, they think we’re kind of living the lavish life we’re used to outside of the game,” Alex Caruso explained.
“It really hasn’t been that. It hasn’t been terrible, I don’t want to come off as unappreciative at all, because they’ve done a lot to get it set up and done a great job. But it takes a toll on you. You’ve got a pretty confined space in a hotel room.
“Honestly, if we didn’t have such a good group of guys, coaches, and organization that loves hanging out and being around each other, it would probably be a lot tougher.”
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