The Washington Wizards are dealing with an outbreak situation, with the franchise now up to five players who have tested positive for COVID-19, sources tell The Athletic’s Shams Charania and Fred Katz. The Wizards last played on Monday against the Phoenix Suns. They have already had two games postponed this week — Wednesday against the Jazz and Friday against the Pistons. Washington’s next scheduled game is Sunday against the Cavaliers.
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Fred Katz, Wizards writer: The Wizards had plenty of close calls with COVID-19 before eventually having to miss games. They played the Celtics last week, the day before Boston flashed a positive test. Before that, they went up against the 76ers the day before they had one. Kevin Durant went into quarantine the day after his Nets played the Wizards. Bulls players tested positive in the middle of a series in Washington. Now, the Wizards are the ones dealing with the real-life issues that come with playing this season in the middle of a pandemic.
Katz: Most importantly, the Wizards have to get healthy. Players who test positive for coronavirus must quarantine for a minimum of 10-to-14 days, per league rules. If they have symptoms, quarantines can be longer than that. They then have a two-day ramp-up period and have to pass a cardio test before returning for good. It could be a while before some of these guys return. The status of the upcoming series against Cleveland, scheduled for Sunday/Monday, is up in the air, given today's news. Either way, it will be a minute before we see the Wizards in their full form.
Jon Krawczynski: Juancho Hernangomez has entered isolation and will be out at least 10 days, sources told @TheAthleticMIN
Cody Taylor: The Timberwolves announced Juancho Hernangómez and Ricky Rubio are in the health & safety protocols and will not play tomorrow night vs. the Grizzlies.
Jonathan Feigen: Calvin Murphy opens tonight's broadcast by saying he was out while in isolation after coming in contact with someone with COVID-19 but that he is back, healthy and good looking.
Roy Parry: Magic center Mo Bamba did not travel with the team to Boston because of non-team contact tracing, according to league sources. Bamba does not have COVID-19. His availability beyond Friday's game will be determined by the NBA.
Tim Reynolds: The Magic have left the gate. Game on in Boston tomorrow.
A. Sherrod Blakely: "This is going to be a year of curveballs." - #Celtics Brad Stevens
Cody Taylor: Steve Clifford said the Magic are very confident the game tomorrow night vs. the Celtics will be played: "Our plan is that we'll be playing."
Tom Orsborn: Rudy Gay on tighter COVID protocols: "I guess you can complain about it, but, at the end of the day, it’s about safety. That’s the most important part, not just for us, but for our families, staff, everybody."
How do you reflect on your time in the NBA bubble last season, and should the league go back? Damian Lillard: I enjoyed the bubble for what it was. The NBA put us in a safe environment that allowed us to compete for a championship, and do what we love to do. That came at the expense of our family and being away from home. Right now, I think I would say no to going back to the bubble. What we need to do is challenge each team and each organization to be more disciplined, and the players to be more disciplined, and understand that if one person decides to step outside the protocol and what they’re asking, how it can impact and affect other players, and not just those players, but their families and whoever they take it home to.
Damian Lillard: So, that’s what the challenge is, and just let them know, we need to create a bubble within our team, within our organization. The people in our facility and a bubble in our household, that way we’re protecting each other to the best of our abilities. But I wouldn’t say go back to a bubble because there’s so much more season to be played, people have families, and at least we’re forming a bubble in our homes, in our own beds and get to do it that way.
Matthew Tynan: So, the Spurs have teamed up with Xenex Germ-Zapping Solutions in an effort to fight COVID-19. They’re the first NBA team to deploy robots (yes, robots) to disinfect their arena. The future is here, folks. The rise of the machine is upon us. pic.twitter.com/nt4KiIA1Vi
Chris Mannix: I've been hearing from people within the league office that you're not gonna see anything radical happen when it comes to how they're going to deal with this growing number of infections and people being exposed to infections, but they will nibble around the fringes a little bit and adding bodies might be one way to do it.
Ohm Youngmisuk: Stan Van Gundy repeated that 4,400 people died in the US of coronavirus yesterday and that is what matters the most, more than a basketball game. “This is serious stuff and we need to prevent the spread.”
Eric Woodyard: As cases of COVID-19 continue to rise, Milwaukee Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer says he trusts in the league to keep them safe but also acknowledges that “it certainly feels like we’re being pushed to that limit.” He respects the NBA and will continue to follow leadership.
Sarah K. Spencer: Kevin Huerter says the Hawks have a few people who are self-isolating. "Hopefully we can nip it real quick... We had no contact with Phoenix. But with our team situation, obviously we think we have the right people in isolation and hopefully it doesn't spread too far from that."
Sarah K. Spencer: Kevin Huerter: "As far as I know, someone in our organization at some point was exposed. We don't know whether it was tracing or whether they had it. All we know is there were people who weren't involved in practice today that usually are."
Shams Charania: 16 new NBA players have tested positive for coronavirus out of 497 tested since Jan. 6, sources tell @The Athletic @Stadium.
Chris Mannix: NBA announces 16 new positive COVID tests.
Sarah K. Spencer: Lloyd Pierce says he is self-isolating in a hotel room right now, due to contact-tracing. He didn't give a time period of how long he has to isolate, just says it's until the league tells him. Says he has tested negative.
Sarah K. Spencer: Lloyd Pierce says the team is still planning to travel to Utah tomorrow.
Connor Letourneau: Damion Lee on Eric Paschall's false-positive coronavirus test: "This virus is nothing to play with, whether it's a false-positive or an actual positive. ... It'll be great having EP back out there tomorrow."
Aaron Gordon: It’s starting to get janky... I’d be cool with a bubble if it was in the Bahamas or Hawaii and we got to bring our family/wife or girlfriend
What if players volunteered at the many public distributions centers that are being arranged throughout the country and received the vaccine in that setting while encouraging the masses to do the same along the way? A source with knowledge of the call with team presidents said UCLA was the possible site mentioned, but that sort of approach could gain traction. According to a Pew poll of 12,648 people conducted from Nov. 18-29, just 42 percent of Black people intended to get the vaccine when it became available. It has been chronicled and analyzed that many in the Black community are known to be distrustful of vaccines, in large part because of the shameful history of the Tuskegee syphilis experiment.
The potential thinking here isn’t hard to understand: The sight of the world’s most famous basketball players — the large majority of whom are Black — getting the vaccine while sharing productive vaccine messaging could go a long way toward aiding that cause. With President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris set to be inaugurated on Jan. 20, a source said league officials have been in touch with the incoming administration’s transition team about how the NBA might be able to help.
Malone’s Nuggets were inside the bubble until the Western Conference finals were over. He argued publicly for coaches to be able to welcome families — a luxury the players enjoyed far, far earlier than coaches. There is no bubble now because the isolation was too much for everybody involved. League officials resist even the idea of a shutdown or pause right now. They want to plow ahead and get this season over, so the next one (with fans allowed in) can start on time. But to hear Malone warm to the idea of a bubble is an indicator of just how difficult it is navigating a season outside of one in this pandemic.
“Do I think it’s worthwhile?” Donovan said. “I think it’s worthwhile as long as the people still making those decisions feel very comfortable about the safety measures and protocols being in place to try to protect everybody as best as possible. And I think everybody is kind of putting their trust in the doctors, in the medical experts.”
“What we’re missing in this is COVID created this, but the concern is not COVID now,” Sixers coach Doc Rivers said. “The concern is injuries, because guys are playing so many minutes because we don’t have enough guys. If I was deciding games in that way, I would be very careful if I’m the league, because you don’t want that to happen either.”
Thunder guard George Hill pushed back against the stricter COVID-19 safety protocols the NBA announced Tuesday, wondering why the season would continue if such measures were necessary. “I’m a grown man, so I’m gonna do what I wanna do,” Hill said after the Thunder’s 112-102 loss to the Spurs. “If I wanna go see my family, I’m gonna go see my family. They can’t tell me I have to stay in the room 24/7. If it’s that serious then maybe we shouldn’t be playing. It’s life. No one’s gonna be able to just cancel their whole life for this game.”
Farbod Esnaashari: Everyone is paying attention to George Hill's quote, but should pay attention to Shai: "If it means I have to wear a mask on the bench the whole time, it is what it is and I'm gonna do it. I want to get back to normal living, and whatever it takes to get back, I'm going to do it
Harrison Faigen: Kyle Kuzma isn't overly enthused by the idea of going back to the bubble, but made it seem like he'd be willing if necessary. "Obviously that would be a last resort type of deal... But this team, this organization, if a championship is on the line, that's what we're going to do"
Adrian Wojnarowski: On @Sportscenter reporting on why — so far — the NBA isn’t pausing the season.
Eric Paschall: pic.twitter.com/4HfleO1B2d
Adrian Wojnarowski: Two Wizards players in contact tracing, per source.
Harrison Feigan: "That's the hope, obviously," Marc Gasol, when asked if he thinks the NBA can make it through the season. "Hopefully we can get through this month and then we'll go from there."
Mike Trudell: Marc Gasol said he understands and respects the tighter policies as the NBA tries to minimize risk during the ongoing pandemic: “It’s for the best of everyone. We understand that."
Kendra Andrews: Malone says it's not surprising the league updated its covid protocols. He says he wants hopes for greater commitment to those rules moving forward. "Hopefully these new protocols will allow us to see less players and teams affected by covid."
Harrison Wind: Michael Malone on the enhanced COVID protocols: "I think everybody's got to be committed to that and stop thinking about themselves and think about the collective good of their teams and the entire NBA." "None of us want to see the season stopped."
Brandon Rahbar: Al Horford on the NBA’s COVID protocols: “For all of this to work, we have to continue to cooperate and do what’s asked of us. I feel like that’s the only way we can continue the season. We have to take care of ourselves. We have to be cautious.”
Josh Hart: No handshakes for anyone now
Tom Moore: #Sixers coach Doc Rivers on new, stricter #NBA rules: 'We just have to be more careful. ... I'm not concerned with some of the things on the floor. ... It's coming from the outside to the inside. We just have to be vigilant when we walk outside.'
Brad Townsend: Mavericks who are listed as out for tommorow's game at Charlotte due to "health and safety protocols." Maxi Kleber, Dwight Powell, Josh Richardson, Dorian Finney-Smith, Jalen Brunson. As of yesterday, four Mavericks had tested positive for COVID-19, sources told the DMN.
Shams Charania: For at least next 2 weeks, NBA players and team staff are essentially entering in-market bubbles: - Home: Remain in residence at all times (except for exercise outside, essential activities, extraordinary circumstance) - Road: Stay in hotel (unless team activity or emergency)
Adrian Wojnarowski: Among protocol changes now agreed upon: NBA players can no longer interact with non-team guests at road hotels, sources tell ESPN. Players were allowed to have guests in rooms, but that is no longer the case.
Adrian Wojnarowski: More changes to protocol, sources tell ESPN: At home, players and team staff must remain at residence except to attend team-related activities at facility orarena, exercise outside, perform essential activities or the occurrence of extraordinary circumstances.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Any person who regularly visits the inside the home of a team staff member or player for professional purposes must undergo Covid testing twice per week, sources tell ESPN.
Shams Charania: New facemask rule: All NBA players must wear masks on the bench at all times, including the locker room, sources tell @The Athletic @Stadium.
Adrian Wojnarowski: For minimum of next two weeks, pre-game meetings in locker rooms are limited to 10 minutes -- with masks on, sources tell ESPN. All other meetings with players and team staff must be on the court, or a larger space that allows for 6-feet of social distancing.
Shams Charania: NBA players are now only allowed to elbow or fist bump when socializing pre- and post-game and maintain six feet of distance, sources tell @The Athletic @Stadium.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Sources: League's mandating increased mask wearing for players in games, except for "cool down chairs" arranged at least 12 feet from bench and 6 feet apart. Players can go there immediately after leaving court during game, but must return to regular seat on bench wearing a mask.
Tim Reynolds: The hope is that the new rules about limiting where players go (at home and on the road) are going to only be in place for two weeks, though a source cautions, "that's probably the minimum."
TJ McBride: So it sounds like the GM meeting yesterday was largely just to reinforce protocols while discussing these few extra additions to the protocols. Frankly, it’s not enough and I hope that teams start to step in with more authority to make it clear this season is getting out of hand.
Tom Orsborn: Jakob Poeltl on the vaccine: "My initial instinct is I want to take it. I am assuming if they are available to us, they have done enough research on it and it’s safe. It’s not only for my benefit but for the benefit of everybody else as well."
Tom Orsborn: Jakob Poeltl on talk of NBA announcing even tighter COVID guidelines: "They have got the experts working. I am hoping they are being reasonable and that they are making good decisions. I think all we can really do is trust in them."
Adrian Wojnarowski: The Boston Celtics-Orlando Magic game on Wednesday is expected to be postponed, sources tell ESPN. The game is postponed, sources tell ESPN.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Sources: NBA and NBPA working through a minimum two-week window of protocol tightening that includes: *No hugging or interaction of rival players on court pre and post-game. *Reducing social interactions during games, including tapping hands during free throws.
Marc Stein: The NBA has formally opened a review of videos that appear to show the Nets' Kyrie Irving at a recent party without a mask If Irving misses any games due to what is ruled a protocols violation, he would be subject to a fine of more than $460,000 per game ... 1/72 of his salary
With his team right in the thick of things, Van Gundy, who is 61, is rightfully more concerned about everyone’s health and safety than when they’ll play a game of basketball. Here’s the full quote via Nola.com’s Christian Clark. “First of all, personally, I’m 61 year’s old. This s*** scares me. It scares me. I don’t want to get it. I’m scared of other people getting it too. I just don’t want anyone in our group or anyone else to get it.”
Adrian Wojnarowski: Sources with @Malika_Andrews: As the NBA is expected to begin examining online videos circulating of a maskless Kyrie Irving at a family birthday party, there’s no belief that he will return to the Brooklyn Nets lineup this week.
In the videos -- which began being widely shared Monday night -- a smiling Irving is dancing with his sister Asia on a confetti-covered floor and clapping as she blows out candles. If the video is found to be recent, that behavior could be a breach of the league's coronavirus protocols. The league's COVID-19 guidelines forbid players from going to clubs, bars and lounges. They also ban attending social gatherings of more than 15 people.
