Bulls star Zach LaVine has been placed in the league’s health and safety protocols, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Troy Brown Jr. has entered the protocols as well, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports (Twitter link), giving the team nine players affected by COVID-19.
Chicago was down to 11 available players Saturday night after Ayo Dosunmu and Stanley Johnson were both put in the protocols earlier in the day. The Bulls will need eight eligible players for Tuesday’s game in Detroit, and Wojnarowski suggests that postponements may be considered if the team’s outbreak continues (Twitter link). COVID-19 upended the NBA schedule early in 2020/21, but no games have been moved so far this season.
The team has already signed Johnson and Alfonzo McKinnie under the hardship exception and can continue to add players if necessary, points out Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link).
Chicago has a lighter schedule this week that could help alleviate the roster crunch. After Tuesday’s game, the Bulls will travel to Toronto on Thursday and will get two days off before hosting the Lakers next Sunday. Coby White and Javonte Green both have the potential to return during the week if they clear the protocols, K.C. Johnson tweets.
Under league rules, if LaVine and Brown tested positive, they will miss a minimum of 10 days unless they submit two consecutive negative tests more than 24 hours apart.
Troy Brown Jr., not Tony Brown Jr.
If enough guys keep getting covid, they gonna sign a random dude named Tony Brown Jr…
Seven ……. They are almost running out of players. Must be the cold coming. Flu and cold season .
How crazy is this. 9 of the Bull’s 19 players are in the Covid protocol. Patrick Williams is out for the season. Alex Caruso is recovering from a groin injury. Even with Caruso being able to play, the Bulls only have 9 players to suit up. Wonder if this will begin to happen to the rest of the teams in the league.
Probably, it’s only a matter of time. I’d rather it happen now than later in the season, particularly the playoffs.
“they will miss a minimum of 10 games”
I think you mean 10 days, not 10 games.
Didn’t watch the Bulls game last night versus the Heat. Wonder if other people who were up close to LaVine and Troy Brown will possibly have Covid.
Uh, you mean, like the entire roster of both teams, the coaching staffs, trainers, medical staff, and referees?
I have to think the league is at least considering shutting down anything and everything Bulls related for at least a week. In my opinion, Bulls should not be allowed in their facility for a week and should forfeit the games they miss. They are actively posing a threat to the NBA season, regardless on your view of the virus. I’m hesitant to say they should forfeit games but postponing them so their players can get healthy would be a tremendous disservice to every other team whos had to deal with the consequences of the health and safety protocols. I’d rather have the bulls lose 3 games than have another shut down
Imagine the league office has to be discussing the Bull’s situation.
Forgeit? No. Shut down, postpone, yes.
The Bulls are fully vaccinated, why should they be forced to forfeit if they’re controlling what they can control. It would be different if it were a team of anti-vaxxers, but this is just a frustrating and unfortunate situation for a team that is seemingly doing the right things and had an outbreak anyways.
Whether they play the games or not they’ll lose anyway. No NBA team can lose 9 guys and remain competitive. Bulls medical staff should be under investigation.
Idk next game against Pistons without grant.
An excellent point, one salient to ticket holding fans – is this worthy of NBA ticket prices?
As you may recall, this was the Nets dilemma at the beginning of the pandemic. Coincidentally, last NBA game played was Nets v Bulls in Brooklyn. I was there, and maybe not coincidentally a blood test revealed contact with COVID not long after that.
Once the virus gets in the air, it is hard to control its distribution, and players are supported by many many others. All it takes is one infected person, and the more-than-geometric progression begins.
I think Omicron is 7 or 8 times as contagious as Delta, and ironically bringing in replacement players bursts any bubble that may have existed, as all their contacts are now brought into the equation.
It is kind of like the warning to only have protected sex or you are essentially having sex with everyone that ever had sex with every one of your partners. Change sex to breathing the same air and you get the picture. ‘Going viral’ isn’t’ just a metaphor for social media.