Houston Rockets forward Bruno Caboclo unintentionally broke quarantine, making him subject to an extended quarantine period and enhanced coronavirus testing, the NBA announced on Monday.
After players entered the league's bubble at the Walt Disney World Resort last week, anyone caught leaving for an unauthorized reason or breaking the initial quarantine period (which included being confined to a hotel room until passing multiple coronavirus tests in a longer-than-24-hour span) was subject to the league's reentry protocols.
That means undergoing enhanced coronavirus testing -- testing with the long swab up the nose, as opposed to the less invasive tests players are getting during their time in the bubble -- in addition to a 10-day quarantine period in their hotel room.
Caboclo left his room during the initial quarantine period, a source said. He was unaware that he was not allowed to do so, despite the league informing all players and staff of the protocol.
"He should've known," the source said. "It was no secret."
Sources told ESPN that Caboclo's time in quarantine is now down to eight days. He is expected to rejoin the team once his quarantine is complete.
NBA players addressed the news that Caboclo and Kings center Richaun Holmes inadvertently left the bubble, saying that mistakes are bound to happen.
"But it wasn't ever going to be smooth sailing, I think everyone understood that and we were going to have some hiccups along the way and it's just about the way we can minimize that to the best of our abilities," San Antonio Spurs guard Patty Mills said. "First priority is everyone's health and you just hope everyone can cooperate and do what's asked of them because it is our health at the end of the day that's at stake here."
The Rockets are still awaiting the arrival of stars James Harden and Russell Westbrook in Orlando, as well as forward Luc Mbah a Moute. Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni had said Sunday that all three are likely to rejoin the team this week, but Westbrook announced Monday on Twitter that he had tested positive for the coronavirus before the team departed and was in quarantine.
Caboclo, 24, was acquired from the Memphis Grizzlies for Jordan Bell and a 2023 second-round pick swap. He has played 28 minutes across five games for the Rockets and has scored 10 points.
ESPN's Malika Andrews, Zach Lowe and Tim MacMahon contributed to this report.