Yet another Bulls player has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that forward Alize Johnson has tested positive for COVID-19.
The Bulls are currently experiencing the league’s worst outbreak of the coronavirus this season, with 10 players in the protocols. The team only has eight healthy players available, though it’s possible Coby White and/or Javonte Green could exit the protocols and be cleared in time to play on Tuesday vs. Detroit.
The NBA typically requires teams to play their games if they have at least eight players available, so as long as the Bulls don’t enter any more players into the protocols today or tomorrow, the game vs. the Pistons may simply proceed as scheduled.
However, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago (video link) says the Bulls have made an appeal to the NBA to postpone that game, which the league could consider — even if Chicago technically has eight players available, the outbreak has reached the point where a postponement may be worth it to ensure the Bulls have stopped the spread and won’t be putting another team at risk.
Besides Johnson, White, and Green, the Bulls players currently affected by the health and safety protocols are Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Ayo Dosunmu, Derrick Jones Jr., Troy Brown Jr., Matt Thomas and Stanley Johnson. Patrick Williams is also unavailable due to a wrist injury that’s expected to keep him on the shelf for the rest of the regular season.
Following Tuesday’s home game vs. Detroit, the Bulls are scheduled to play in Toronto on Thursday.
The NBA needs to get a grip on this. NHL just cancelled a game. Seems to be no concern about the Bulls spreading this to other teams
The NHL has been shutting teams down when there had been a large possible Covid outbreak. I don’t know why the NBA hasn’t done that here.
Money I’m guessing and don’t want teams to have to lose games for playoff reason .
The Calgary Flames just had three of their games canceled with makeup dates coming. If this means a team has to play back-to-back, so be it. So I don’t think games will be “lost”. I assume they would have to play a full season of games just to be fair. Playoff or draft purposes.
Shut the team down!
You have to wonder now if there is something at the training facility that is increasing the spread of the virus. When you even have a guy get it by reporting (without even playing) it is strange.
Maybe the issue is that the players and the announcers probably are all on the same airplane. Think that the Bulls have their own private jet.
After tomorrow, The Bulls fly to Toronto. I’m guessing it won’t happen but it would be interesting if the Canadian government steps in to stop the team from coming into the country.
I think there may be a distinct possibility of a postponement as the Canadian government takes this very seriously.
They just postponed the next two Bulls games. Good call NBA
Woohoo