DeMar DeRozan Says He Closed 'Frustrating' NBA COVID-19 Rulebook After 10 Lines

The NBA's safety protocol manual wasn't exactly a page-turner for San Antonio Spurs star DeMar DeRozan.

DeRozan told reporters Thursday he only got through a fraction of the handbook before it became too much. He was particularly puzzled by the league prohibiting players from playing doubles ping-pong, per ESPN's Royce Young:

"The ping-pong thing is ridiculous, to be honest. Guys can't do this, but we can do this and battle over each other? That part just don't make no sense to me. I got through 10 lines of the handbook and just put it down because it became so frustrating and overwhelming at times, because you just never thought you'd be in a situation of something like this. So it's hard to process at times." 

It's easy to sympathize with DeRozan's position. You've probably stumbled across a company handbook or two for your job. Now imagine being asked to digest a 113-page version of that.

The NBA and National Basketball Players Association needed to make sure they left no stone unturned in terms of providing ways for players and team personnel to limit the spread of COVID-19. Because of that, the rules and guidelines were bound to be exhaustive.

The New York Times' Sopan Deb and Scott Cacciola noted the manual let players know they can't share snorkels or goggles with one another while swimming and they'll have to carry their own clubs if they decide to play a round of golf. Players will also be required to wear masks if they play cards, and the deck will have to be disposed of when they're done.

Especially with the pandemic surging again in Florida, erring on the side of caution is the NBA's only move, even if it feels a bit frivolous.

Between the specific rules in place and testing procedures, commissioner Adam Silver explained how he believes the league's "bubble" at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, will represent a safer ecosystem for those involved than they'd have otherwise.

As hard as it might be, DeRozan should make sure to go over the handbook from front to back since the NBA is setting up an anonymous tip line to report any violations of the coronavirus protocol.