Nikola Jokic, Novak Djokovic, (Photo by Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images)
Any number of positive COVID-19 tests have the potential to disrupt the NBA’s plans for re-starting the season. Who has tested positive so far?
The return of the NBA season is, in theory, a little over a month away with Jul. 30 circled as the date for resuming regular-season games. The plan is for 22 teams to play eight games each, before beginning a regular postseason run, all being conducted at Walt Disney World.
However, getting to that point is not a sure thing and who will actually be able to participate depends on the COVID-19 testing that began this week and will run regularly through the course of the resumed season. Before testing began, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that teams were expecting a “significant number” of positive results in the initial batch of testing. It didn’t take long for that reporting to be borne out.
Which NBA players have reportedly tested positive for COVID-19?
In the recent batch of testing done in preparation for the season restarting in Orlando, the following players have reportedly tested positive:
Denver Nuggets: Nikola Jokic
Indiana Pacers: Malcolm Brogdon
Miami Heat: Derrick Jones Jr.
Phoenix Suns: Two unnamed players
Sacramento Kings: Alex Len, Buddy Hield, Jabari Parker
All of these players could still eventually rejoin their teams in Orlando for regular season and postseason action. Before that can happen, they will need to recover fully from virus symptoms and receive a negative result on two separate virus tests conducted at least 24 hours apart.
During the initial outbreak and spread of the virus, several NBA players tested positive, including Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz, Marcus Smart of the Boston Celtics, Kevin Durant and three unnamed teammates with the Brooklyn Nets, two unnamed Lakers and Christian Wood of the Detroit Pistons. All of those players have recovered from the virus.