The Bulls and the rest of the NBA ease into training camp as pandemic remains a threat

New Bulls coach Billy Donovan opens his first training camp this week. | AP

It’s being called a “document.’’

At 134 pages long, however, it reads more like a novel.

Not the first one the NBA has published since last spring, but with training camps set to start this week, just the latest.

The league has made sure that all 30 teams have — and fully understand — the health and safety protocol for the coronavirus, much like they did before 22 teams entered the Orlando bubble.

One major difference?

The safety net of being in that bubble is gone.

That’s where things get tricky. The NFL is finding out how tricky, with the last week the best — and most harsh — example.

The Denver Broncos had to start a scout team receiver at quarterback against the Saints because they had a careless quarterback room that went unmasked, and the Baltimore Ravens have had a game moved twice in the wake of a strength room coach who defied protocol.

Heck, San Francisco has to relocate two home games to Arizona because of new coronavirus contact restrictions enforced in Santa Clara County, California.

Then there’s the musical chairs playing out each week in college football. Just this past weekend, schools have had to cancel or postpone 14 different FBS games because of outbreaks. That included Ohio State traveling to Illinois and Minnesota canceling its game against Northwestern with Big Ten Championship Game scenarios at stake.

Yes, the NBA put the perfect model in place in the first document, but being locked away from the rest of the world made that child’s play compared to what they need teams to carry out now.

That’s why Bulls camp — and NBA camps everywhere — will look so different when they begin on Tuesday.

To call this easing into a preseason is an understatement, as the week will start off with daily testing and individual workouts for players.

Don’t expect the Bulls to see full team scrimmage time until this weekend.

That leaves the new-look coaching staff about a week to evaluate and get a feel of personnel before the first exhibition game, with the Bulls hosting Houston on Dec. 11 at the United Center, and again on Dec. 13.

Then two more days of practice before heading to Oklahoma City with a restricted number of 45 people (17 players once the regular season begins) in the traveling party. A Dec. 16 exhibition game against the Thunder and then a preseason finale two days late in OKC, and that’s it.

Ready or not, the regular season tips off four days later on Dec. 22.

The reality of what the NBA is trying to pull off is admirable, but also a slippery slope. Football teams — both college and pro — have way more moving parts to keep an eye on, but also have a 53-man roster and scout-team players to try and cover up a loss of bodies.

The Ravens have 18 players currently on the reserve/Covid-19 list and were still scheduled to play Tuesday night in Pittsburgh. An NBA roster hit like that would wipe out any chance for that team to play a game for at least 10 days.

That’s why the NBA is staying so fluid in its schedule making and protocols. It’s all subject to change and has to stay that way.

Even when the regular season begins, don’t expect to see much star power playing consistently, especially for teams that spent most of the summer in the bubble and still have champagne drying off their jerseys.

It’s going to be growing as a team on the fly, and in the case of a 22-win Bulls team there will be a lot of growing to try and do.