Updated

Until Friday, the Miami Heat are trading the sun and sand of South Florida for the sun and sand of the Bahamas.

Appearances to the contrary, it's no vacation.

The two-time defending NBA champions will hold training camp at the Atlantis Resort until Friday, with seven practices scheduled before they take the quick 30-minute flight back home to finish off preparations for the preseason.

The Heat arrived Monday night. The first practice is Tuesday morning.

Players say the trip is a nice perk, though no one is necessarily plotting out how much time they can spend on the resort's waterslides or beaches. Heat forward Chris Bosh likens it to being sent out of town for a conference, saying "that's cool, but you're there to work."